The Companion by Kim Taylor Blakemore

☆☆☆☆
ebook, 272 pages
Expected publication: January 14th 2020 by Lake Union Publishing
About the Book:
They say she’s a murderess. She claims she’s innocent. But Lucy has been known to tell lies. 1855, New Hampshire. Lucy Blunt is set to hang for a double murder. Murderess or victim? Only Lucy knows the truth. In the shadow of the gallows, Lucy reflects on the events that led to her bitter downfall—from the moment she arrived at the rambling Burton mansion looking for work and a better life to the grisly murders themselves. In a mysterious household of locked doors and forbidden affections, Lucy slips comfortably into the shadows, where she believes the indiscretions of her past will remain hidden. But when Lucy’s rising status becomes a threat to the mistress’s current companion, the delicate balance of power and loyalty begins to shift, setting into motion a brewing storm of betrayal, suspicion, and rage. Now, with her execution looming closer, Lucy’s allies fight to have her sentence overturned as the tale she’s spinning nears its conclusion. But how much of her story can we trust? After all, Lucy’s been known to bend the truth.

The beauty of The Companion lies not within the plot, which is very mysterious, nor within the voices of the characters, but within the artistry that Ms. Blakemore has demonstrated as the true craft of a writer. The ability to take a story and turn it into something more where the characters step from the page.

For me, while reading The Companion, there was a consistent under current of Lucy not being 100% truthful. I suppose that was the point of the book, but through her writing Taylor Blakemore managed to include this deception as if it was another character in the book. Masterfully written, incredible character development. If you enjoy psychological puzzles you'll enjoy this book.

Bottom Line: The Companion is a dark, intriguing, and haunting mystery which stays with us after the last page and for that I must give it four stars. I encourage you to read it, and formulate your own thoughts on Lucy.

Thank you NetGalley, Kim Taylor Blakemore and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

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