The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell

So often I look back at my school days and wonder how on earth we used to accept certain behaviours as normal. From the teacher who would regularly hurl the wooden blackboard cleaner towards anyone misbehaving, to the poor souls spanked in assembly in front of the entire school, it was a whole different world to 2023. The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell by Gail Aldwin is partially set in the late 1970s and is a stark reminder of how life was so different for young girls back then. This is a clever, engaging and well-written mystery novel that will keep you guessing to the very end. It’s the perfect summer holiday read.

Our story is told by 2 similarly intriguing female protagonists. First we meet Stephanie, a small town journalist who is down on her luck – she’s just been made redundant and has had to rent out a room to make ends meet. Determined to try and diversify to keep her career afloat, she decides to create a podcast dedicated to the mysterious disappearance of Carolyn Russell back in 1979. Carolyn was a 16 year old local girl who simply vanished into thin air one day, with much of the suspicion at the time placed on a young maths teacher who was tutoring her privately. Keen to explore all lines of enquiry, Stephanie stays open-minded. As the story alternates between her investigation and Carolyn’s own words, what truly happened all those years ago begins to unravel. Did Carolyn have a secret life? And did the police fail to identify the right suspects at the time?

The structure of this novel is incredibly clever, as it oscillates between the two narratives and the reader slowly learns new information from each perspective. I particularly liked the fact that Carolyn isn’t portrayed as the sweet, innocent victim, but is a more complex character with layers to both her behaviour and responses to those around her. But I think my favourite thing about this book is the way the background themes of misogyny and racism are explored, reminding us that whilst things have moved on considerably societally since the 1970s, we still have more to learn about ensuring everyone feels safe and valued no matter their background circumstances. This was one of my key take-aways.

I can’t say more without giving away the plot and quite frankly you should be rushing off to buy a copy anyway. I look forward to being able to discuss the ending (the ending!!) with all of you soon, once you’ve caught up and read the whole thing. In your own time.