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MNHQ

Book giveaway - apply for free copy of The Burning Air by Erin Kelly - CLOSED

46 replies

RachelMumsnet · 05/09/2013 12:33

Earlier this year we gave away free copies of Erin Kelly's The Poison Tree which was also made into a TV Mini series. We're now inviting mumsnetters to read and join the discussion about Erin's latest gripping psychological thriller. A tense family drama set in Devon at an annual family get together around Bonfire, The Burning Air will have you reading long into the night. Apply for a free copy and join the discussion on this thread.

OP posts:

GrouchingTiggerHiddenSomething · 01/10/2013 22:38

I've just finished it. Was a real page turner and not my usual kind of genre so I found it an interesting read. I liked it and I was caught out by the twist on page 153 (don't want to give it away!)

I felt most of the characters were really well drawn and I liked how you found out more about them from others viewpoints as the book went on but somehow the ending seemed almost an anticlimax.

I think I would recommend it to other people, and will probably lend it to a few friends, but I'm not sure I would go back to more of her books, maybe if I was in the right mood. A good experience for me to read outside my usual comfort zone so thank you Mumsnet!

peldred · 03/10/2013 16:49

Thank you for the free copy as it was my first taste of Erin Kelly's books. I'm not usually a fan of psychological thrillers, but I must say I am a bit of a convert after reading this book.

Thoroughly enjoyed it - very gripping! I thought all the characters were well developed and the different perspectives helped that. I am going to look up The Poison Tree now!

Ness1234 · 04/10/2013 16:20

I enjoyed the book but wouldn't rave about it. Some parts of the book seemed rushed and others were great. I would recommend the book for a holiday read.

LotsofDots · 04/10/2013 20:37

I have just finished my free copy, and will be passing it on to my mum to read now!

I was initially a bit non plused. I'm never very fond of the 'diary entry as mechanism to explain plot' device and in all honesty think the book would have worked just as well without the narration from Lydia, or her 'twist' at the end. It was a twist too far. That said, I thought the body of the story was really gripping, the first major twist on page 153 clever and well done and the second character twist also caught me out. I agree with the reviewer above about the honey trap bit , I felt it seemed a little unnecessary and didn't really add anything, and it didn't seem to be properly resolved.

All in all I enjoyed the plot, felt it made a change from the usual in the genre and it held my attention to the end.

Yasmin1 · 05/10/2013 15:17

Just finished the book a night ago. I absolutely loved it. Also, don't want to give the twist away, but I too had to go back a few chapters to re-read because my initial thought was completely wrong! And had to double take! Didn't see that one coming! Loved the style of writining especially the different characters interpretations of the same situation. (will make sense if you read the book). I have not read The Poison Tree, but definintely will now. This book is a page turner and you get very absorbed into the story. Great Read!! Thanks

Lakota · 07/10/2013 09:20

It's definitely a readable psychological thriller. I was a bit concerned when I saw the review from Sophie Hannah that it would be too similar to her books - I read a few before realising that they actually really irritated me, and are often confusing - but Erin Kelly has a very different style. Events do get rather unlikely, but it's still enjoyable. I fell straight into 'twist' trap!

RippingYarns · 07/10/2013 13:53

Am only a 1/3 of the way in and trying to write this without reading any spoilers above, but I'm enjoying it immensely.

DH has asked me what the strange paper thingy on the bedside table is, as i'm an avid kindler, but this has been a cracker of a book to have to hold up and turn pages of

Thank you for my free copy, I shall probably buy it on Kindle also, I like to read things at least twice.

spikeyiscool · 07/10/2013 14:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ladymalham · 09/10/2013 11:46

I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book and its been really hard to put it down. I am close to finishing but don't want it to end as its been an exciting read. Good characters and a story that kept me reading on and on. Definitely recommend this and will check out the author's other work now.

bughead · 09/10/2013 12:01

Book a real thriller, so many twists and turns a wonderful prize, many thanks.

          Helen

Keel · 09/10/2013 12:34

I really enjoyed this book and thanks to MN for sending me a free copy. I have not read any Erin Kelly before but will now look out for the Poison Tree. very gripping and the author manages to build up the suspense well. A perfect read for these autumn evenings.

Rajie · 10/10/2013 01:06

A very gripping novel - a real thriller. Climax well handled. Enjoyed reading the book immensely. A good read for chilly autumn !

horseyrider · 13/10/2013 13:47

Lydia's opening diary entry set the tone for me - a secret plus devastating consequences for her family. The contrast of the outwardly stable middle class family to the other disturbed characters made this a very exciting read for me (and my mum), cant wait to buy the Poison Tree. Thank you x 2!!

bellabunny · 14/10/2013 08:34

Really enjoyed this book - loved the twist in the middle,very clever!!

girlsmum · 14/10/2013 17:26

I won a free copy too!!

* SPOILER *

Have just finished reading and felt a bit silly as I did not realise Darcy was a boy!

I also felt that Lydia's confession wasn't overly dreadful/shocking in comparison to the rest of the book.

However, on the whole I couldn't put the book down and did enjoy it.

helenajane · 15/10/2013 12:47

I could not make up my mind about this book, i don't like books where you have to go back to see if you missed something & I found i had to do this .. i too, thought Darcey was a girl ..

I think it would make a good tv drama.

fourmonthstogo · 15/10/2013 13:39

I love a book that draws you in and then carries you along, so much so that you can't put it down - and this did it for me. It was responsible for me being late for work more than once! (tsk tsk). It doesn't have to be perfect, and as the other reviewers have said the big reveal wasn't that shocking, and why wasn't the honey trap more questionned by an intelligent couple, but I can overlook that easily as the writing style and the book development flowed really well. I fell completely for the twist - which I love in a book. I will be recommending it to people and I will be looking out for The Poison Tree. Thank you very much Mumsnet!

Sabiha · 17/10/2013 14:52

This book had me gripped from the beginning. Took me a while to realise that Darcy was a boy though and the ending (Lydia's secret) was a bit of a disappointment as I was expecting something a bit more shocking. That said, I still enjoyed it and will definitely look out for others by the same author.

missmarplestmarymead · 20/10/2013 11:43

I enjoyed the opening of this book very much: it was atmospheric and well set up for what was to follow.

I too thought that Darcy was a girl and was almost sure that Kerry was she. I enjoyed the transformation of Matt and his convoluted revenge plot but thought the last scenes at the barn were a bit too ott.

I was disappointed by what Lydia's revelations turned out to be: after the build up and Rowan's reactions to them, including fearing that would destroy the McBride family name, I was excepting something earth shattering and, to my mind, they weren't.

That said, I will certainly be reading Erin's other novels.

HorseyGirl1 · 23/10/2013 11:31

Well, that was different - but in a good way! Not my usual sort of thing at all (if I want a crime I tend to enjoy a good Agatha Christie or PD James) but I still enjoyed it. I would give this author a look again.

Reebs123 · 23/10/2013 16:22

I loved this book. I expected I would as I've watched The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly on TV. So many unexpected twists. I read half the book assuming something but was shockingly wrong that I had to go back and see if I misunderstood. The author is very clever and her characters are so believeable.

Brilliant book. Well worth the read and sharing.

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