BOOK DESCRIPTION
Stephen Marling thought he knew his aunt Flora. But when he inherits her house in a quiet south London square a series of discoveries among her papers brings to light another person entirely.
Who, for example, is ‘Mr. Magenta’ and what part did he play in her life?
In the process of uncovering the secrets of one life, Stephen is forced to re-evaluate his own and decide what he really wants.
Was he right to turn his back on Nancy Steiner, the young actress he met in New York, when he came home to take up his inheritance?
Interweaving past and present, the story takes him from a Brooklyn bookshop to a theatre in Marseille to a cottage on the east coast of England where the truth about Mr Magenta is finally revealed.
BOOK REVIEW
Stephen has inherited his Aunt Flora’s house and her belongings. As he goes through her things, he reflects on his memories of her and their shared love of books. When he finds the name Mr. Magenta among his aunt’s papers, he begins to investigate her life to find out this man’s identity.
This is not an action-packed tale. It is literary fiction about a man who walked away from his job, his girlfriend, and his life in New York to basically take over his aunt’s old life in south London. The characters in the little London square where his aunt’s house is located are endearing and likable, and they really set the tone for what Stephen’s new life will be like. As Stephen retraces his aunt’s footsteps looking for the mysterious Mr. Magenta, he begins to make decisions about his own life. If you enjoy literary fiction and books about finding your own way or starting anew, you make want to check this one out.
I received a free copy of this book via Zooloo’s Book Tours. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christopher Bowden lives in south London. He is the author of six novels, each with a colour theme. His books have been praised variously by Andrew Marr, Julian Fellowes, Sir Derek Jacobi, and Shena Mackay. Of his third novel, The Red House, Sir Derek said, “Very entertaining, cleverly constructed and expertly paced. I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
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BUY LINKS
Bonnie Reads and Writes 
Thank you so much for taking part in the tour and for sharing your review x
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You’re welcome Zoe!
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This looks to be very well-written. Thanks for sharing, Bonnie. You do such fine work. 🙂
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Thanks Tim. It’s probably not for every reader but it’s well written.
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