Book info

• Title Blink of an Eye
• Author Cath Staincliffe
• Year 2013
• Genre Thriller

In a heartbeat, life changes. A sunny, Sunday afternoon, a family barbecue, and Naomi Baxter and her boyfriend Alex celebrate good news. Driving home, Naomi's recklessness causes a fatal accident, leaving nine-year-old Lily Vasey dead, Naomi fighting for her life, Alex bruised and bloody and the lives of three families torn apart. Traumatised, Naomi has no clear memory of the crash and her mother Carmel is forced to break the shocking truth of the child's death to her. Naomi may well be prosecuted for causing death by dangerous driving. If convicted she will face a jail term of up to 14 years, especially if her sister's claim that Naomi was drink-driving is proven.In the months before the trial, Carmel strives to help a haunted and remorseful Naomi cope with the consequences of her actions.

Thoughts

I think I must have picked this up in a Kindle sale because it’s not my normal kind of purchase. I whipped through it quite quickly, it’s an easy read in terms of style and writing, but the content is where it gets tricky. Telling the story from a mother and a daughter’s perspective, we’re granted the inside line to what happens when a terrible car accident changes the family’s life forever.

It was quite predictable in places, but there were also some interesting insights in others. It came back to a satisfying ending, and given the circumstances in the book, I was glad it wasn’t a completely happy one with all the stories tied up in a neat bow. As it wasn’t too much of an investment, I enjoyed reading it, but I’m not sure I would particularly recommend it to others.

Rating: 3 / 5