Killing Them With Kindness by Andy Paulcroft - Book Tour & Review + Giveaway
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Killing Them With Kindness
Deirdre Cossette is the self appointed carer for the elderly on The Avenue and all of her friends have stories to tell. Margery, whose comfortable life was destroyed by a knock on the door. Stan, who made a mistake as a young footballer which cost him his friends and his self-respect. Marina, whose slim and stylish figure hides a terrible secret from the summer of Live Aid. And, Oliver and Archie, who have survived everything from post war homophobia to a family tragedy – and they have done it together. Deirdre believes that everyone should have a choice. If they want to live on a diet of cakes, drink the alcoholic equivalent of a small hydrotherapy pool, or take on a toy boy lover in spite of a dodgy heart, Deirdre believes it is their right to do so. If they remember her in their wills afterwards, that’s not her fault, is it? However, not everyone agrees with her. When disgruntled relatives from the present meet up with disgruntled ghosts from her past, Deirdre discovers the cost of being kind.
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My Review
Oh, gosh. Where do I even begin with this book?
Killing Them With Kindness is, at its core, a book with a lot of heart. It's a story of loneliness. A story of living life in a way that makes you happy. And a story about family. I found it a bit depressing at times. But I also found myself laughing, and there were times I found myself reminiscing about my grandma. It's a bit of an emotional read.
Deirdre Cossette is the one woman who connects the elderly characters who all live on the same street. She befriends them. Cares for them. Treats them with respect. And she lets them do what makes them happy, consequences be damned. But there's so much more to it than that.
As the story plays out and we, the readers, learn more about each character, secrets come to light, and you start to realize that Deirdre isn't the only connection the residents of The Avenue have.
I rather enjoyed Killing Them With Kindness. It's a story that will tug at your heartstrings. It will make you laugh. It will make you cry. It will make you angry at times too.
I found myself intrigued by all of the characters. You become attached to them as you read about them, and you just want them to be happy and loved. Honestly, my favorite character is probably Piers. Although, I did quite like most of them, save for the ones with appalling behavior.
If you're looking for a book that will take you on a journey, check out Killing Them With Kindness.
4 stars!
Author BiographyAndy Paulcroft grew up in Weston-super-Mare, and his love of books started when he borrowed his sister’s copy of Five Run Away Together and exaggerated a minor illness in order to finish reading it. He has since worked as a chef in France, Switzerland, Corsica and the North Highlands of Scotland before settling as a catering manager at a boarding school in Dorset. After many years of writing two to three chapters of a book before discarding it, he finally published his first novel Postcards From Another Life – in December 2017. The wonderful feeling of completing a novel was only surpassed by receiving a positive reaction from people who had read it. He retired from catering and recently published his second novel Killing Them With Kindness. He is now working on his third book.
Giveaway – Win a signed copy of Killing Them With Kindness (Open INT)
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2 Comments
Hi Jasmine,thank-you for your brilliant review. I've always liked books that drag you through all the emotions and I think that humour can be a devastating way to make a very serious point. I'm glad that you seem to think I was successful in doing this. Piers was my favourite character also, I have always liked strong, silent types who are never afraid to stand-up for things and people they believe in. I like them even more if they also have an unexpected naughty side! Apparently, a friend told me that I based Piers on Ian, my partner - he was probably right, even if I had no idea I was doing that! Best Wishes Andy x
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome! :) Books with lots of heart and emotion always make me happy. Also, I did quite like that Piers did have a naughty side that came out later on in the book. That's what made him so likable and fun.
DeletePlease try not to spam posts with the same comments over and over again. Authors like seeing thoughtful comments about their books, not the same old, "I like the cover" or "sounds good" comments. While that is nice, putting some real thought and effort in is appreciated. Thank you.