Renee at It’s Book Talk began this meme as a way to share old favourites and those books that are languishing on the to be read pile for whatever reason.

This week I’ve chosen “Unspoken” by Samantha Hayes for my Throwback Thursday post. It was published in January of 2009 and was, for me, a 5* read.  

Wow, what a gem! “Unspoken” was one of those books that made you neglect everything you were supposed to be doing.  I couldn’t put it down until the last page was turned.

The dustjacket blurb reads:

Mary Marshall would do anything for her daughter Julia. A devoted grandmother to Julia’s children, she’s always been the rock her family can rely on. Until now. Mary has a past Julia knows nothing about, and it’s come back to haunt her – Murray French is walking a tightrope. A solicitor struggling with an alcohol problem, he’s about to lose his wife Julia and his children to another man: someone successful, someone they deserve. Someone who’s everything he’s not. Can he ever get his family back? Just when Julia Marshall thinks life is starting to turn around, she stumbles upon the brutalised body of a girl she teaches. And as the terrible present starts to shed light on her mother’s past, Julia realises her family’s nightmare is only just beginning…

Written with understanding and emotional acuity, the novel is one I’ll remember for quite some time.  It has been re-released with this great new cover:

If you haven’t read anything yet by Samantha Hayes, what are you waiting for?

Samantha Hayes grew up in the Midlands. Before becoming a writer, Samantha Hayes worked at jobs ranging from private detective to bartender to fruit picker and factory worker, lived on a kibbutz, and spent a few years in Australia and the USA. Her writing career began when she won a short story competition in 2003. Sam Hayes is the author of nine suspense novels and writes full time. She now lives in Warwickshire with her family.

Follow Samantha Hayes on Twitter