The present-day narrative is told by Olivia’s second cousin, Rebecca, and begins in the traditional way with the mother’s funeral in London and the children emptying her house and uncovering a family secret. This leads Becky into the past where we learn more the life Olivia led as a young woman during the Second World War. Fired by newfound purpose, Rebecca finds herself taking the train to the other end of the country, where she will discover a house of secrets – full of books and original paintings, with treasures in the attic, a foul-mouthed parrot in the parlour, a tunnel from the cellar down to the sea and a long buried mystery….

Sea Gate, Brooklyn - Wikipedia Sea Gate, Brooklyn - Wikipedia

Many Hasidic Jews and Russians have settled in Sea Gate, along with a small number of middle-class Black families. Located on Beach 47th Street in Sea Gate is the 75-foot-tall (23m) Coney Island Light, is a lighthouse built in 1890, before the area was populated.

There is a rape that is brushed over and only seems to be there as evidence as to how awful the neighbours are. Becky decides to drive to Cornwall, to see if Olivia is alright and have some much needed time away from her unfeeling partner Eddie. I have read a number of dark books of late with difficult subjects at their heart so I was looking for something different, something easy and entertaining.

The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson | Goodreads The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson | Goodreads

For more than 100 years, the waterfront community of Sea Gate, Brooklyn has had a front row seat to the New York Harbor where cruise ships, sail boats and the occasional mermaid routinely pass by.

Highly atmospheric and vividly drawn, it was a pleasure to read the rolling descriptions of this picturesque British location. Residents also filed a lawsuit against the Sea Gate Homeowners Association, alleging non-white residents were harassed for not providing IDs, vehicles were followed outside of the boundaries of the gates, and that discrimination occurred against black members of the Public Safety force.

The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson: Summary and reviews - BookBrowse

Governor Al Smith and others frequented the Atlantic Yacht Club, whose clubhouse was designed by Stanford White. In the past, Becky had been fascinated with creating her own art, but for the last ten years, she has put her energy into supporting her artist boyfriend, Eddie. As the novel progresses, Johnson shows more of Becky’s broken nature, her anxiety, her lack of confidence, and how life has beat her down. Found across the first and third floors above the pub and the first and second floors of the Quay house, a 2-minute walk away. Becky’s discovery of the letter from Olivia in her mother’s belongings, gives her just the project she needs to distract her from recent events in her life, doubts about her relationship with partner Eddy, and worries about the future.

Feeling bold and wanting to take some responsibility, she arrives at Chynalls and finds Olivia in the hospital and the porch literally crumbling to dust in front of her and a swearing cursing Gabriel the parrot to take care too. And I must give a special mention to something else Olivia and Becky share – the gloriously foul-mouthed parrot, Gabriel, to whom it’s definitely worth paying attention. Becky arrives at Chynalls to find the beautiful old house crumbling into the ground, and Olivia stuck in hospital with no hope of being discharged until her home is made habitable. Spangles of light glitter like spilled treasure, undulating with the rolling of the waves… This is the Cornwall I have always imagined. The lighthouse is the former home of Frank Schubert, the United States' last civilian lighthouse keeper, who died in 2003.