12 April 2022

The love between a mother and a child is unique, nothing compares to this unconditional love. The Coffin Club looks at that love and explores how far some women would go to be a mother. When you open this book, you will find an intriguing read that will consume you, only to drop you back to reality with an ending you did not expect. This book had me reading way past my normal bedtime.

 The author tells the story from Kat’s point of view. I love how she draws this character in detail, sharing all her faults and flaws. She describes the horrible scar on her face and gives the reader a front-row seat to the character’s insecurities, her needs and her dreams. You feel this woman’s ache for a child as well as her love for her mother. This debut novel is beautifully written, I am very keen to see what Jacqueline Sutherland brings us next.

Kat loses her husband in a car accident and is left with a scar running down her face that serves as a daily reminder of what she has lost. Kat moves to the countryside, trying to distance herself from the memories and the loss of her chance to be a mother. Hiding away in an old house that needs attention Kat decides that she no longer wants to live. She climbs into her car, determined to end her life. However, a twist of fate leads her to meet Ginny, a peculiar local woman who runs an animal sanctuary. They become friends and Ginny puts Kat to work at the sanctuary, as Kat starts to rebuild her life Ginny encourages her to put herself out there, meet new people and open herself up to a new relationship.

Kat joins a local club for widows and widower who are looking for a second chance at love. Members refer to the club as “The Coffin Club”. Her first club meeting introduces her to fellow newbie Nico, a Spanish immigrant who has lost his wife. Fascinated by this good looking man who appears to like her, Kat quickly finds out that Nico has a five-year-old daughter, Magdalena, ‘Midge’. This little girl is everything that Kat has ever wanted. Can she keep Nico in her life, is this her chance to finally be a mother?

Opening this book, I was not sure what to expect. As I started reading, I found myself thinking that this is not your typical psychological thriller. Yet, as I kept reading, I lost myself in the story. I discovered that the people in Kat’s world were not exactly what they appeared to be, something just did not feel right. This left me racing through the book eager to see where this story was heading. I loved what the author did with this story – I am not going to spoil it, you will need to read it to find out for yourself – but believe me – no-one is who they appear to be!

I loved Kat. The author did a fantastic job with this character. I could see this woman’s face as I was reading and feel her pain. She was beautifully drawn with loads of detail. This flawed woman is broken both physically and emotionally and your heart breaks for her as her story unfolds. Throughout most of the book, I just wanted to hug her. Ginny is an interesting character too, again I could picture this woman. The author managed to bring these women to life for me. I could see them as I turned the pages. The best part is I completely misjudged the characters in this book – yep, while I knew something was up – I got it all wrong! (You need to read the book to understand what I mean by that.)

This debut deserves a five-star! I loved this book! There is no other way to say it. It’s a great story that left me reading late into the night and I misjudged everyone. What a brilliant read!

This book falls into the psychological thriller genre, yet it reads a little differently. Only when all the pieces fall into place do you understand what makes it what it is. If you are keen on an intriguing, page-turner that leaves you racing to reach the last page – you will love The Coffin Club. But be warned, this book will leave you doubting your ability to read people. I cannot recommend this one highly enough! Add it to your TBR – it is a wonderful read – you will not be left disappointed.