SECRETS OF THE SINGER GIRLS

ONE NOT TO MISS

***** RATING

The Secrets of The Singer Girls - A novel it will take time to recover from as Kate Thompson takes you into the, sometimes harrowing, sometimes funny, and sometimes heart-warming world of the East End during world war two. Not a gentle stroll, but a gripping, emotional journey, dragging you into the lives of her characters in a way that will have you not wanting to let go of the world she has set you in. 

Thompson's four main characters are women, diverse in age and in what has shaped them. They are so well drawn you feel you know them as they toil for long hours in a sewing machine factory, and lighten their lives by singing as they work. 

Three of them are strangled by their own dark secret and find it difficult to move on with their lives. The fourth one has a dream to break free of the restrictions placed upon her. This leads her into making choices that take her down a heartbreaking path. 

But despite living in fear of their secrets coming out, even to each other, and experiencing domestic violence and prejudice, and the taking of a wrong path, they remain strong and supportive of each other, protecting one another as best they can and endearing themselves to the reader.

It is when the secrets begin to crack open that the real devastation is felt and consequences have to be faced. Be prepared to be shocked by revelations you never guessed at, and thrown into a final turmoil of emotion, the outcome of which is hope for a brighter future for the women, but a sadness that you are no longer in their lives.  A riveting, and wonderful read, that will have you looking out for each new book by Kate Thompson.