The Man From Primrose Lane by James Renner

Oh boy, where do I start with my thoughts about James Renner's The Man From Primrose Lane?  I can say that this is a book that had me absolutely enthralled yet completely confused at times!

Published in January this year by Corsair, Constable & Robinson, this story really does stretch the mind and requires so much concentration that at times my head hurt.  Despite this, I was utterly and truly hooked.  I'm not going to go into the details of the story, to be honest, I'm still trying to work it all out.

Here's the publisher's blurb:

Imagine an episode of Doctor Who written by Stephen King. Enter the extraordinary world of  The Man from Primrose Lane, a devious, dark, audacious tale about dangerous obsession and the way it can influence our fates.

Rewind:   Once upon a time in Ohio there lived an elderly recluse, 'the man from Primrose Lane'. He had no friends or family. He wore mittens all year round. And one summers day, he was murdered.

Fast-Forward:   Bestselling author David Neff is a broken man, lonely, desolate and lost ever since his wife's suicide. But something about the man from Primrose Lane grabs his attention and he decides to investigate the mystery - only to be dragged back into a world he thought he had left behind forever.

Replay:  As David gets closer to uncovering the true identity of the man from Primrose Lane, he begins to understand the terrible power of his own obsessions and how they may be connected to the deaths of both the hermit and his beloved wife

 James Renner is a very very clever author.  I'm really not a fan of science-fiction, or time-travel, but he has the ability to hook the reader with ease and then thrust them into this world of murder, mayhem and downright fantasy.   It's a crime story, it's a thriller, there's family relationships and there is mystery.  You will be confused, you will be amazed, your head will spin as another unexpected event throws yet another spanner into the works.  However, despite all of this, there is something that compels you to keep reading, maybe you think that you can work it all out?  Believe me, you really won't!

This is probably the most challenging novel that I've read for a long time, yet it's also one that I've really enjoyed.  The whole reading experience was something completely different for me, and the story will stay in my mind for a long time.

James Renner has a website here and you can follow him on Twitter here

Warner Bros have acquired The Man From Primrose Lane and will develop it as a star vehicle for Oscar-nominated Silver Linings Playbook star Bradley Cooper
For more details click here