Mine to Keep by Wendy HudsonMine to Keep by Wendy Hudson is a story about settling events of the past and embracing all that the future has to offer, no matter how daunting it could be.

Erin Carter is desperately lonely and an aura of sadness forms a thick cloak around her, especially after the death of her mother. Her past invades her present with painful memories that she just wants to put to rest but there are too many unanswered questions. Erin decides to search for her father with hopes of rekindling a bond, forging new memories and getting answers to the relentless questions from her terrifying childhood memories. After much searching, Erin finally finds clues that could lead her to her father in the countryside of Hopetoun, Scotland. So she sets off on her quest to find her father and Erin decides to stay at Cornfield Castle for her entire stay in Hopetoun.

Erin is befriended by a brother and sister, Abigail and George Miller, who run the Cornfield Castle in their parents’ absence. Together they try to figure out fact from fiction regarding Erin’s father. Abigail and George welcome Erin into Cornfield Castle and into their lives. Will Erin be able to put the past to rest and get the answers she desires? Or will new nightmares arise and steal whatever peace of mind she tries to achieve?

The Characters

Erin Carter is a Mathematics teacher at a school in Glasgow, Scotland. Erin is such a darling—a very reserved lady but a darling nonetheless! (I happen to know of another Erin, a real-life Erin who is a darling as well.) Erin is extremely vulnerable because she has been estranged from her father for more than twenty years. She is searching for her father with the hope that he is a much better person than she remembers him to be. She is filled with anxiety and dread over what could be revealed when she finds him, if she would ever find him. After all, twenty years is a very long time. Erin never gets close to anyone because of her past and the memories that plague her.

Abigail Miller, or Abby as she is affectionately called throughout the story, is a chef at the Cornfield Castle where Erin stays. She is charming and fun-loving. I love the way she befriends Erin and tries to draw her out of her shell. In addition to that, I just love the close bond that she shares with her little brother named George. Abby has a strong sense of responsibility and she always tries to do the right thing regardless of the trouble it brings to her.

The Writing Style

This story was everything I anticipated and more! I really appreciated the way the author gave such an in-depth journey into the haunting memories, raw emotions and quirky personalities of the main characters. In addition, I never get tired of reading about the picturesque Scottish landscape and all of the beautiful places of interest that just tempt me to hop on a plane to experience it myself.

The Pros

Would it be really biased of me to say that I am so happy that one of the main characters is really good with numbers? (Nah, I don’t think so, I happen to be good with numbers as well!).

The Cons

The intrigue is really well written but the descriptions of cold-blooded murder and violence can be quite gruesome.

aprils favourite booksThe Conclusion

I am open to any story that has an element of surprise and intrigue. This story does not disappoint and certainly dishes out intrigue in spades. This story will make you question the bond between family and how far someone should go in order to keep their loved ones in their lives. If you enjoy thrillers that will stay with you long after the book is read, then this story is definitely for you.

Excerpt from Mine to Keep by Wendy Hudson

She hadn’t understood it all back then. If she were honest with herself, she still didn’t. One day, not long after her sixth birthday, she and her mum had left the house. Since then, neither her dad nor his legacy were ever spoken about again. As years passed, the urge to ask questions diminished. As they had moved house to house, town to town, Erin had gradually stopped looking for places to hide in case he came back.

Now her mum was gone, too, and the old feelings and fears had all returned in full force. She was back in those dark places from her dreams—her nightmares—desperate to get out.

Terrified that the haunting was only just beginning, after weeks of torture, she had resolved to take control and deal with it. In her usually orderly world, it made no sense to allow a shadow the power to dictate her every thought and dream.

This wasn’t how she intended to live her life, in a constant state of mental paralysis, closed off to everything and everyone. She had to find a way to end it once and for all if she was ever going to find a trace of normality amongst the chaos.

So here she was, in a small town in South Lanarkshire, with a thousand questions tripping over each other, vying for her attention.

Her rumbling tummy brought her back to earth, spurring her into action. She dried and dressed quickly in skinny jeans and a light-grey sweater. After tugging on her favorite worn navy Converse, she brushed out her short dark hair and tucked it behind her ears still damp. It would kink as it dried, but flyaway hair was the least of her worries.

Finally, she picked up the shiny silver Mackintosh rose pendant and rubbed a thumb over the pattern before she looped the long chain over her head and tucked it under her top.

“You can do this, Carter, c’mon. It’s time.” Notebook under her arm, she took a calming breath. Time to face people. Time to find some answers.

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Bits and Bobs

  • ISBN number: 9783955338831
  • Publisher: Ylva Publishing

Wendy Hudson Online 

Note: I received a free review copy of Mine to Keep by Wendy Hudson No money was exchanged for this review. I will always review books as honestly as possible and on occasion I refuse to review books.

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