My grateful thanks to Kelly Pike and to Cathy Hayward for sending me a copy of The Secret of the Brighton House in return for an honest review. I’m delighted to share that review today.
Published by Lake Union on 1st November 2024, The Secret of the Brighton House is available for pre-order here.
The Secret of the Brighton House
Her family lied to protect her. Will the truth tear them apart?
Joanne’s always been told her mother died in childbirth, but she never questioned her dad’s love. When unpacking a box of her own old baby clothes, Joanne accidentally discovers a photo of her birth mum holding a newborn, and realises she’s been lied to.
As Joanne begins to dig into the past, she uncovers layers of secrets that threaten to destroy the very family she holds dear. What really happened to her mum? What could be so devastating that her dad has kept it from her for her whole life—and is she ready to find out?
My Review of The Secret of the Brighton House
Joanne’s pregnancy prompts her to look at her own past.
What an absorbing and affecting read. The Secret of the Brighton House works on many levels. Firstly it is an exploration of marriage as Joanne and Alex navigate their final IVF chance at having a child. I loved the way Alex’s perspective as a prospective father is given. Too often, if understandably, the focus on parenthood is given to women and here we are reminded that men are impacted too. I thought Cathy Hayward’s ability to show how those who do really love one another can find themselves drifting apart and losing sight of who they really are in a relationship as they focus on one event and forget their own dreams and desires, was thoroughly convincing. I was desperate for Joanne and Alex to find their way back to one another and to become successful parents happy in their own skin because Cathy Hayward made me care about them.
Secondly, alongside the marriage aspect is the consideration of who Joanne’s Mum is – her birth mother Grace or Lou, the woman who brought her up. There’s a real maturity in how this thread is woven into the story with the potential for Joanne’s whole personality and future to be changed. I loved the fascinating way Mike’s true personality is peeled back layer by layer too.
In addition, is the mystery at the heart of The Secret of the Brighton House. It’s not possible to say too much for fear of revealing spoilers, but as Joanne uncovers the 1970s events in Brighton there’s not just an entertaining plot, but a real sense of social history too.
But it is Grace who drives the narrative and through whom the most profound part of the story is conveyed. Her terrible mental health experiences feel completely convincing. She’s the kind of character whom the reader continues to think about long after the book is read. I genuinely think The Secret of the Brighton House has the power to change attitudes towards mental health.
The Secret of the Brighton House is a highly affecting, realistic and sensitively written exploration of motherhood in various forms. It considers severe mental illness and the depth of connection in families beyond the usual units. I thought it was not just very interesting, but that it was actually a highly important book because it brings difficult topics out into the open in an honest and caring manner. I recommend it most highly.
About Cathy Hayward
Cathy Hayward is a writer and bookseller based in Brighton, on the south coast of England.
Cathy trained and worked as a journalist for many years before moving into the world of PR. In 2022, after having spent a lifetime pottering around bookshops, she bought Kemptown Bookshop in Brighton and has worked to create a community which supports local authors and aspiring writers. In 2024, Cathy took on the management of The Creative Writing Programme, the leading independent centre for creative writing teaching in the south-east of England, which is now based at the bookshop.
When she’s not writing (or reading), Cathy loves pottering in other people’s bookshops, going to the theatre and drinking wine. She lives with her three children and two rescue cats.
For further information, visit Cathy’s website, follow her on Twitter/X @cathyhayward7 or find Cathy on Instagram and on Facebook.
English (US) · 