Works

“Tense, engaging and atmospheric - I read the book in two sittings, deeply resentful of the fact that I had to put it down in between… Thornton is very good with female characters. I understood Laura - I've been a single parent myself - and she captures the difficulties and uncertainties perfectly, but the star of the book is Beth. She's still a child, despite being quite big, but she's wanting independence and to do things which strike terror into her mother's heart. All her life she's been trustworthy and responsible, but she's on the cusp of going wrong - unless Laura can play it absolutely right. Thornton balances this perfectly. There's lots to discuss in the book - it would be great for a reading group.” – The Bookbag

“from the very start of the book, the reader is on pins waiting for something awful to happen… This book explores the modern family and its different forms: Laura’s cosy mother and daughter set-up, her ex-husband’s chaotic household full of wild little boys and the insecure life Willow led with her mother. The feeling of threat comes from the landscape itself as well as from the outsider. There is a dénouement but no spoilers here. Rosy Thornton is so good at evoking place and atmosphere. When I read The Tapestry of Love, I felt I was living in France. Reading Ninepins I could almost feel the cold damp of the fens creeping into my bones. Highly recommended for a tense read.” – Life Must Be Filled Up

“Threats mass like thunderheads on the wide, low, Cambridgeshire skyline in Rosy Thornton’s fourth novel, a story of domestic tension marbled with unsettling psychological undercurrents… This is a setting with many moods and Thornton does a good job of matching them to the quicksilver temperament of 12-year-old Beth, the introverted lodger and Laura’s own unease about single parenting and starting a new relationship…. A distractingly readable novel which tidily captures the edgy see-saw drama of everyday life.” – Book Oxygen

“This is a lovely read... It's character driven and the characters are extremely well drawn and realistic. There is a subtle tension which runs through it… an air of suspense which builds throughout the unfolding story and the wonderful bleak, misty and menacing setting of the Cambridgeshire Fens, is so well painted that I felt I'd just spent some time there despite never having set foot in that area in my life! …Rosy Thornton is a highly accomplished author, drawing on her own experiences and her skills with words to create an environment we instantly feel at home in and characters we feel we know even though they might not be ones we can completely relate to. If you enjoy beautifully constructed descriptions, characters created with finesse and skill and a story which builds to a satisfactory climax you should enjoy this latest offering from Rosy.” – Beadyjan’s Bookshelf

“There are very few authors I've read that can write a compelling, reality-based account of life as well as Rosy Thornton. I'm happy to say that Ninepins, her newest effort, not only met my expectations produced by her previous works, but far, far exceeded them… Ms. Thornton has written a gem of a story. On its surface, Ninepins is as calm as the water surrounding the actual house, but like the fens and the water running in the lode, it doesn't take much to stir up the bottom and turn the story into a floodwater of emotion, passion and substance. Ninepins is a must-read for any contemporary fiction fan. It is every day life but better; richer somehow owing to the author's wonderfully descriptive writing skills. These are life sized characters with life sized stories that somehow become larger than life. They will stay with you long past the turning of the last page. Rosy Thornton makes them entirely believable and truly unforgettable.” – Bookishly Attentive

“very enjoyable – and… thought provoking. Set in the Cambridge Fens, it revolves around problems of family life and relationships between mothers and daughters, exploring the difficulties of when and how to give a child more independence, and looking at the way people deal with love, friendship, trust and betrayals. …the story is not driven by issues, but by people, and Thornton creates her characters with warmth and a light touch. She is excellent at showing relationships and describing the small details of everyday life, so you really care what happens. And her sense of place is as strong as ever – in Tapestry she made me feel as if I was in France. Here she make me sense the vast emptiness of the lonely, water-logged Cambridgeshire Fens.” – The Book Trunk

“Ninepins is a darker novel than the others I’ve read by Rosy, and one that sustains an atmosphere of impending menace as issues of maternal anxiety are put through the wringer… As ever, Rosy Thornton provides a gripping story that contains all sorts of interesting and provocative depths. This is a beautifully written portrait of a mother trying to deal with all the fears – genuine and groundless – that we currently create around our vulnerable children, who seem to grow up too fast and too slowly in our mixed-up world.” – Tales From the Reading Room

“Rosy Thornton is expert at creating a real sense of place with her words, the vast and desolate, yet beautiful Fens of Cambridgeshire are brought to life in this story, the reader can almost feel the chill and the damp air when reading her description of the landscape. Descriptive scenery however, are not her only gift; her creation of three very different, yet extremely strong female characters is excellent… Rosy Thornton has served up a novel with many themes. I enjoyed Ninepins very much…” – Random Things Through My Letterbox

“I couldn't stop reading once I started. The characters feel real, and I wanted to know what happened to them. Ninepins… left me feeling hopeful and content… Thumbs up, to Rosy Thornton's Ninepins.” – Norma’s Novels

“…a remarkable book about mothers and daughters, about growing up and relationships. It’s quite difficult to describe – it’s not exactly a thriller, although there is a mystery element to it and the tension and suspense gradually build throughout the book. And it’s not exactly a romance, although there is a love story in there too. It’s about people, but there is a satisfying plot and beautiful descriptions of the locations… It captures perfectly the precarious relationships between parents and children as they begin to grow up and feel independent… A gripping story that held my interest throughout.” – Books Please

“It's been very clear, I think, from Rosy Thornton's last two books that, if she decided to tackle something a little darker, she would be more than capable. Ninepins confirms it - this is decidedly not a book to pick up when you've only got an hour to spare. You'll be turning the pages hours into the night, desperate to know what will happen next… Thornton weaves three elements - fire, water and breath - through her compelling story… This is a book to savour, and to return to.” – Geranium Cat’s Bookshelf

“The book deals with some powerful issues and the author does it very well… I was entranced by the characters in the book and did enjoy it a lot.” – Our Book Reviews Online

“Thornton portrays the delicate, changeable dynamic between her characters with a light but sure touch… Thornton’s writing is never ‘easy reading,’ in the sense that it always tackles messy personal and political issues… Ninepins…is… an emotionally demanding read. However, it is also well-written and tightly constructed, which maintains the narrative tension and makes it a compelling read as well as a demanding one. I recommend Ninepins unreservedly…” – Vulpes Libris