The Broken String by Diane Chamberlain

Publication date: 6 November 
Published by: St Martins Press / Panmacmillan
Purchase from Amazon here

The Blurb:

A short story from Diane Chamberlain, the bestselling author of The Midwife's Confession and Necessary Lies.

Some secrets need to be told . . . As a child, Riley always suspected there was a secret her parents and brother protected her from, a secret that ruined the bond between her and her brother and threatened to tear her family apart. Now seventeen years old, Riley is flying out to visit her brother Danny who has been wounded whilst fighting in Iraq. And she's is determined to find out what this secret is. But will uncovering the truth bring her and her brother together again and give her the answers she craves, or will it simply lead to more questions . . .

The Broken String is perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Jodi Picoult.


My Review:

The Broken String is a short story of 48 pages where we get to meet Riley, who I believe is one of the main characters from Diane's forthcoming book The Silent Sister. Whilst short I did really enjoy it and will be reading The Silent Sister as soon as I can. I like novellas that give us a taste for characters.

Riley is seventeen and we meet her as she gets on a flight. She is sitting beside two children on a flight that is a bit turbulent. She reassures the children that the plane will be ok. Whilst on the flight she flashes back to younger memories with her brother. Those aboard become aware of the reason she is travelling and many come over to speak to her during the flight. This helps us as readers become aware of her back story.

Her brother Danny has been injured whilst with the army in Iraq and she is flying over to see him. She doesn't know his condition and it is a very stressful time for her. It was intriguing that given she is only seventeen it is her and not her parents flying over to be with him. The reason for this comes out as the story unfolds........

I thought this was a riveting short story. As I said, we get an introduction to Riley and her brother and also get to delve into the background of their family life and some of their secrets. There is a darker side to them and I am sure there is more to be revealed.  It has certainly whetted my appetite for the full book and I think I am going to really like Riley. I warmed to her and felt empathy for her childhood. I am also intrigued to see what character her brother has and the family dynamic.

A riveting short read that packs a punch.

Thank you to St Martins Press who provided a copy in return for an honest review.