Blog Tour Review: In a Cottage In a Wood by Case Green

In a Cottage In a Wood by Cass Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

                      THE BLURB

Late one night Neve comes across a troubled young woman called Isabelle on Waterloo Bridge.Isabelle forces a package into Neve`s hands before jumping to her death in the icy Thames below.

Two weeks later,Neve`s wreck of a life in London is collapsing around her when she receives a unexpected lifeline - a charming cottage in Cornwall has been left to her by Isabelle.Neve sees this as the solution to all her problems.

But when Neve arrives,alone in the dark woods late one night,she finds a sinister looking bungalow with bars across the Windows.And her dream home quickly becomes her worst nightmare - a house hiding a twisted secret that will change her life forever.


                                       MY THOUGHTS

The story is almost entirely narrated by Neve,who for about half of the book isn't the most likeable of characters and it is fascinating to witness the changes in her character as the story unfolds.Interspersed throughout the story are italicized chapters that are voiced by Isabelle,these where my favourite parts of the story.I felt they had more mystery and intrigue that Neve`s parts.I really loved the descriptions of the creepy cottage in the dark woods,situated in the middle of the Cornish countryside miles from civilization.It was easy to understand how living in isolation after being used to the hustle and bustle of life in London plus the other mysterious events could cause Neve to fear for her life just like Isabelle had.

The story was intreguing at times and did have a couple of unexpected twists towards the end but I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would.There was long spells in the book where nothing actually happened,even when Neve got to the cottage there was just lots of pages about Neve meeting various people.It was far too obvious that one person was not as nice or trustworthy as they pretended to be and the final reveal and the reasons behind all the events where a bit anti climatic.

I loved The Woman Next Door but I was a bit disappointed with this book which is a shame but it won't stop me reading more books by this author in the future.

                                 Q&A with Cass Green


WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION FOR IN A COTTAGE IN A WOOD

I wanted to write about a woman who `steps into another life.`I was intregued by the idea of what it would be like to move into someone's house without really knowing anything about them.I played with the idea a little bit and Neve and Isabelle began to form in my mind.

DID YOU HAVE TO UNDERTAKE ANY RESEARCH FOR IN A COTTAGE IN A WOOD,PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF LOCATION,OR DO YOU KNOW CORNWALL WELL?AND DID A SPECIFIC COTTAGE INSPIRE YOU.

I`m the biggest fan of Cornwall and have had so many brilliant family holidays there,so I do know it a bit.It is actually one of my favourite places in the world! But I think good stories come from contrasts,so I thought,`what would it be like to inherit something that sounds idyllic,but turns out to be something else entirely?`

WE FOUND THE STORY INCREDIBLY CREEPY,AND ALMOST HAD TO SLEEP WITH THE LIGHTS ON! HOW DID YOU COPE WITH WRITING IT?

I`m so glad to hear that! I'm a strange combination of gigantic wimp and someone who loves scary stories.When I was reading the Sarah Winters book mentioned above,I actually got so scared I couldn't sleep one night.I would be a bit thrilled if my book had that effect on anyone else!

WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE PLAY NEVE AND ISABELLE IN A FILM ADAPTATION OF IN A COTTAGE IN A WOOD?

I'm so glad you asked! I would love to see Kimberly Nixon (Josie from Fresh Meat) as Neve and as for Isabelle,I can imagine Alexandra Moen (Lucy Saxon in Doctor Who) being brilliant.

WHO ARE YOU HEROES OUTSIDE LITERATURE?

Michelle Obama,Steve Martin,Sally Wainwrite (I know she is a screenwriter and I'm cheating,but she doesn't write books)

HAVE YOU READ ANYTHING RECENTLY YOU WOULD RECOMMEND?

I absolutely loved The Party by Elizabeth Day and also Do Not Be Alarmed by Maile Miloy.Also,Under The Sea by Lottie Moggach.

IF YOU HADN'T BECOME A AUTHOR,WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE WANTED TO DO IN LIFE?

Am I cheating if I say scriptwriter? I can't imagine not working with stories in some way.When I was little I wanted to be a) a zookeeper and b) a ballet dancer,but I seem to have strayed quite far from both those plans!

WHAT'S NEXT FOR CASS GREEN,ARE THERE ANY FUTURE BOOK IDEAS YOU CAN TALK ABOUT?

I'm currently coming to the end of the first draft of something new and the concept is this! People do terrible things for good reasons.That's all I'm saying for now!