Family Reunion

by Carol Smith

Book Overview

The once-beloved matriarch to the grand Annesley clan, Odile Annesley, a self-imposed exile in France. With her 80th birthday approaching, she contacts her grandchildren to give them the details of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0892967323
• ISBN13: 9780892967322
• Release Date: February 2001
• Publisher: Mysterious Press
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Disappointing ending

This was my first time reading Carol Smith and I'm glad I found this author and will be checking out her other novels. I loved the book and did have to keep referring to the family tree in front, but didn't feel it detracted from the story. I love family saga type novels with lots of story in it. But I did feel a bit unsatisfied at the ending....with only about 20 pages left to go, I kept wondering HOW she was going to tie up SO many loose ends. I feel she rather rushed it and could have spent a bit more time. For instance....Clemency appeared to be the main character and yet...we never even got to "hear" her thoughts on the final outcome at the end. And it was a pretty dramatic ending for Clemency....yet, nothing. Going to try one of her other books though, as I like her writing style.

Murder As You Like It---All In the Family

Welcome to the French mansion of Odile Annesley as she approaches her 80th birthday. The artist and mother of nine children abandoned her beloved husband and eight surviving children forty years ago after the death of her favorite child. Why she left has been shrouded in mystery, but when she writes her grandchildren and invites them to come meet with her and discuss her will, old secrets come to light. The grandchildren, who are mostly estranged, begin to prepare for the trip and bond in interesting ways prior to their journey. Proving that blood ties are the strongest of all, this suspenseful tale explores their lives and brings them together as, one by one, family members begin to be killed off. Who could be performing these ghastly murders? Odile herself? The obnoxious oldest grandson who hopes to inherit all? The distant relative whom all five granddaughters have a sexual relationship with? There's lots of eerie suspense before Odile's secret and the murderer are revealed. Good fun and murder aplenty---but as mentioned by another reviewer, a bit too many Annesleys. Fortunately, Carol Smith has put the family tree at the front of the book, so be prepared to glance at it often while keeping all the brothers and sisters sorted in your mind.

a good modern gothic

The "Family Reunion" is a rather good old fashioned novel, crafted somewhat on the gothic genre: for decades Odile Annesley has had nothing to do with her family. After the death of her favourite son, Odile abandoned her family to concentrate on her art. And for all these years, no one seems to have any contact with her. Now as she approaches her eightieth birthday, she sends her remaining relatives her will. This inspires her five remaining granddaughters to plan an impromptu visit to their grandmother in order to celebrate Odile's birthday, and to heal all breaches. The gothic touch comes into play when the reader realises that someone seems to be hunting down members of the Annesley clan and killing them off one by one, and that a mysterious young man, who may or may not be an Annesley relative also seems to be stalking the granddaughters. What will Odile's grandchildren find when they reach her estate in France, and will the mad killer and menacing stalker follow them there?I found this novel to be an interesting and enjoyable read, except for a couple of points. As with "The Neighbors", Carole Smith has peopled this novel with an assortment of characters that run the gamut from eccentric to rather obnoxious. All were quite well developed but unfortunately there just a little too many Annesleys, and I had to keep checking with the family tree to keep all the aunts and cousins and wives straight! Fortunately, about a third way through the book, a character explains all the familial relationships, so that the book was saved for me. And if it wasn't for the fact that I never warmed to the 'hero' of the piece, or that the only chracter I identified with was killed off (which probably says more about me than the quality of the book), I probably would have given the book a higher rating.This is quite a good modern gothic novel, with just the right mix of a menacing atmosphere, peculiar and eccentric characters, and family secrets to keep the reader glued to the pages. A rather enjoyable read.

Fine novel of psychological suspense

Though years have passed since the tragedy and Odile Annesley, now eighty, remains in exile in Provence, refusing to have anything to do with family members. However, the octogenarian sends her will to her family. This, in turn, prompts a response from Odile's five adult grandchildren, who want reconciliation before grandmere dies. The quintet agrees to visit grandmere together without asking or warning the former Annesley matriarch. However, before journeying to Provence, the five sisters first become reacquainted with one another. After a brief period, they arrive at the forlorn remote farm house that grandmere has made home for about four decades since she fled her beloved spouse and children. However, reconciliation proves deadly as history repeats itself and someone wants to eliminate the Annesley heirs.FAMILY REUNION is an exciting suspense thriller that takes off in the second half of the novel. Much of the first half of the story line is dedicated to introducing the five siblings. This proves a bit slow, leaving the audience to wonder if the book is a character study. However, the device ultimately pays dividends when the group reaches Provence where the action begins (second half of the novel). With a little patience, readers, especially fans of Carol Smith (see THE NEIGHBORS), will enjoy this novel, but must give it a chance as character development takes up a sizable portion of the plot.Harriet Klausner