Abigail Returns By Pauline Tait

‘Abigail Returns’ is the latest book by Pauline Tait.

With just over a decade missing to Dissociative Amnesia, and a newly broken heart, Abigail finds herself with no choice but to return to Lochside. The supposedly idyllic home on the Isle of Skye she had fled so dramatically six years before. And while struggling to find her way in a world she can’t recall, she must battle the conflicts of the present with the shocking secrets she uncovers from her past. Jamie’s support is invaluable, but how much does he know? Greg is loving and attentive, but does he have an ulterior motive? Meanwhile, the presence of a stranger on the island shakes Abigail to her very core. With no memory, she can only trust her instincts as she strives to build a life and a future she can call her own. But Abigail soon discovers the stranger’s trail leads far too close to home.

I believe this is the second book that I’ve read by Pauline Tait and I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed this story and found it quite hard to put down.

The story is primarily seen through the narrative of Abigail, who after having her heart broken leaves London and returns to her grandmother’s home. A house that’s been left derelict, she uses up what little money she has to make it into a home, with the help of a man called Jamie, a man who once had a very significant space in her life. But with having little memory, she doesn’t recall a chunk of her life. One day she meets Greg, the tiler and decides to tentatively give a relationship a go with him but doesn’t feel like it’s going anywhere until she realises that him and his family are from a former part of her life.

This mysterious story is a claustrophobic and intense thriller that really hooked me in, I thought the inclusion of the protagonist suffering from memory loss really added to the intensity and suspense of the story, as you’re unsure of how reliable a source she is. As the story progresses and Abigail’s life unravels, we see her grow in personality and confidence.

The writing in this story is also quite beautiful, descriptive and vivid in parts, Pauline really conjures up images of the small rural village and it’s close knit community as well as the progression in the house and how Abigail is turning it into a home.

A story of loss and second chances, ‘Abigail Returns’ is a heartfelt and tender story with a psychological undertone that made the book impossible to put down.

You can buy ‘Abigail Returns’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.