After reading Nearest Thing to Crazy by Elizabeth Forbes in May I was extremely excited to be invited to participate in the blog tour for SHAME. I loved Nearest Thing to Crazy and SHAME did not disappoint. This author adds just enough darkness and pain to her characters to keep you glued to the pages.

Do we ever really know someone. With Shame the author looks at the various faces we use to deal with the different circumstances we face in our lives and how we all have little secrets, things we chose not to share. But what happens when the secret you are keeping has the potential to destroy those you love?

This is the second book by Elizabeth Forbes I have read, and I have given both books a five-star rating on Good Reads. This author tackles difficult subjects, turning them into easy reading fiction that keeps you glued to the pages, and when you reach the end, you find you are left with a lot to think about. I love how her fiction stays with you, leaving you curious how you would react if you found yourself in the shoes of the characters.

After twenty-two years of marriage, George and Martha have the perfect marriage. Or that is what it looks like to anyone looking in. Both have successful jobs, Martha as a GP and George in the art/auction business. However, George travels a lot and when he is at home, he seems distracted. Martha feels that something is not right, but can she fix it on her own? No one knows the secrets they hide; no one knows their thoughts and the shame they carry around. When those secrets are revealed their lives and that of their family are turned upside down.

I found myself deeply engrossed in this book, quickly caught up in the family drama and little hidden secrets the characters slowly reveal along the way. This book is jam-packed with insecurity, jealousy, betrayal, and long-hidden secrets. A mother who feels she is not close enough to her daughter and dislikes the fact that Delilah confides in her aunt/godmother rather than her mother.

George is deep in self-exploration, analysing the decisions he has made and the secrets he has kept. Can he keep living the life he is living, is it what he wants?

The characters were brilliantly flawed making it easy to empathise with them even when you do not agree with their choices. I could picture Martha reading this book. The author did a wonderful job with her. I found myself picturing her facial expressions as I was reading, feeling her emotions dripping off the pages.

This book is a fantastic read, I loved it. I could not get enough. It feels as if you are reading about people you know and you are sharing in their distress as it unfolds.

Psychological Fiction fans will love this book and I strongly recommend you give it a try. It is creative, and deeply moving with just enough dark touches to draw you into the characters lives and experiencing their distress, shame, and insecurities. Shame is simply brilliant – get a copy you will not be disappointed!