My Best Friend - Laura Wilson

This was my first Laura Wilson novel but I intend to read her previous work as soon as I can. The technique of writing each chapter from a different character's point of view, and some of these were flash backs too, kept my interest. Each character was well drawn and easy to imagine, and the style of them 'talking' to the reader made for a very comfortable read. The story or plot is quite simple once you have read it but the limited information about Vera's murder back in the 1940's keeps one intrigued. The atmosphere of war time is evoked well and the Enid Blyton type literature written by Gerald's mother is a wonderful contrast to the lonely, loveless life of Gerald as a boy. The adult Gerald is easy to imagine too. Sadly we probably have all known a Gerald at some time and have 'pigeon-holed' their character because they are misfits. The reaction of the police and ordinary people to him as a pervert is uncomfortably understandable and this is a timely message perhaps of how easy it is to judge people wrongly. But then, as a mother of a 16 year old daughter, I totally identified with Jo when Mel went missing. The way I am writing about this shows me that it was definitely an interesting weekend/holiday read.