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The Strange Book of Jacob Boyce by Tom Gillespie @tom_gillespie @VineLeavesPress @lovebooksgroup


I'm republishing my review from July today, as part of the Book Blitz.


Description

A spiralling obsession. A missing wife. A terrifying secret. Will he find her before it’s too late?

When Dr Jacob Boyce’s wife goes missing, the police put it down to a simple marital dispute. Jacob, however, fears something darker. Following her trail to Spain, he becomes convinced that Ella’s disappearance is tied to a mysterious painting whose hidden geometric and numerical riddles he’s been obsessively trying to solve for months. Obscure, hallucinogenic clues, and bizarre, larger-than-life characters, guide an increasingly unhinged Jacob through a nightmarish Spanish landscape to an art forger’s studio in Madrid, where he comes face-to-face with a centuries-old horror, and the terrifying, mind-bending, truth about his wife.



Review


I doubt you have read a book quite like this before. The title says it all really it is a "strange book" and it's all about Jacob Boyce. I admit to having to re read the first few pages of the book as I thought I had misread them. As the book went on I began to realise that this could be a regular occurrence if I wasn't careful and just decided to go with the "strangeness".


Jacob is obsessed with a painting and it's hidden meaning, and for me this had echoes of the Di Vinci code. It's well known that paintings possess hidden meanings through the objects placed in them and I do love it when someone explains a painting for you. So, I fell hook line and sinker for this aspect of the plot including the mathematics. There is a mention of Napiers Bones which I remember from school - there my maths knowledge ended but it didn't spoil the enjoyment of the book. 


The book has three parts, two of which are set in Glasgow which I've visited and I certainly felt a sense of place, especially the underground and the art gallery (although it's not named). The middle part of the book is set in Spain and whilst I haven't been to either of the places Jacob goes to I still got that sense of knowing the places. 


The last part of the book sees Jacob engage in what I would politely say is earthy language, so if you are easily offended this may not be the book for you. Brilliantly written this is a tale which won't be for everyone, but if you like intrigue, mystery and disappearing down the rabbit hole then this will be for you.


I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Kelly at Love Books Tours for sending me the ARC to review. 




About the Author

Tom Gillespie grew up in a small town just outside Glasgow. After completing a Masters in English at Glasgow University, he spent the next ten years pursuing a musical career as a singer/songwriter, playing, recording and touring the UK and Europe with his band. He now lives in Bath with his wife, daughter and hyper-neurotic cat, where he works at the university as an English lecturer. Tom writes long and short stories. His stories have appeared in many magazines, journals and e-zines. He is co-author of Glass Work Humans-an anthology of stories and poems, published by Valley Press. Visit Tom at tom-gillespie.com


Buy Link

https://amzn.to/2zspp0N




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