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Caron McKinlay

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The Storytellers Kindle Edition

by Caron McKinlay (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.2 501 ratings

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Trapped between life and the afterlife, three women meet and share their stories while discovering the truth about the men in their lives—and about themselves.

Suspended in an eerie state of limbo, an entity called the Gatekeeper tells Nikki, Ronnie, and Mrs. Hawthorne they are on the cusp of entering the afterlife—but only if the women can persuade him that in their earthly lives, they knew the meaning of love.

Fragments of their memories return, plunging them back into their pasts, and forcing them to face the desires, disappointments, addictions, lies, and obsessions they battled in life.

But before time runs out, will they find the answer to the ultimate question: what is love?

“Darkly funny and completely compelling, with brilliantly flawed characters you can’t help rooting for, even when they’re bad.” —Frances Quinn, author of The Smallest Man

“Utterly mind blowing! If Stuart Turton had written Gone Girl it would look like this. Intelligent, compelling writing that is genre defining. Brilliant!” —Victoria Dowd, author of The Supper Club Murders

“Gripping, thought-provoking and clever. I was hooked from the very first page.” —Nicola Gill, author of The Neighbours

“Beautiful, edgy and the perfect debut. A tale crafted with heart, soul and sass.” —Keith A. Pearson, author of The ‘86 Fix

From the Publisher

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“Darkly funny and completely compelling, with brilliantly flawed characters you can’t help rooting for, even when they’re bad.” ―Frances Quinn, author of The Smallest Man

“Utterly mind blowing! If Stuart Turton had written Gone Girl it would look like this. Intelligent, compelling writing that is genre defining. Brilliant!” ―Victoria Dowd, author of The Supper Club Murders

“Gripping, thought-provoking and clever. I was hooked from the very first page.” ―Nicola Gill, author of The Neighbours

“Beautiful, edgy and the perfect debut. A tale crafted with heart, soul and sass.” ―Keith A. Pearson, author of The ‘86 Fix

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09XTMQSDD
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloodhound Books (16 May 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3.1 MB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 302 pages

Best Sellers Rank: 221,488 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 401 in Metaphysical Fiction
- 761 in Metaphysical & Visionary Fiction (Books)
- 1,335 in Psychological Literary Fiction

Customer reviews:
4.2 501 ratings

About the author

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Caron McKinlay

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Caron grew up in a mining town on the east coast of Scotland where her dad would return from the pit and fill her life with his tall tales. She never thought about making a career in writing – that was what posh people did, not someone from a working-class council estate.

However, her father’s death was the cause of deep introspection and her emotions gave birth to a short story, Cash, which was published in the Scottish Book Trust’s anthology, Blether. This gave her the confidence to try and believe in herself.

When not blogging, reading, and writing, Caron spends her time with her daughters. She doesn’t enjoy exercise – but loves running around after her grandsons, Lyle and Noah, to whom she is devoted.

Caron had three childhood dreams in life: to become a published author, to become a teacher, and for David Essex to fall in love with her. Two out of three ain’t bad, and she’s delighted with that.

Customer reviews

501 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They find the emotional content poignant and thought-provoking. The characters are described as vivid, realistic, and complex. The story is described as gripping and interesting, drawing readers in from the start. Readers praise the writing style as brilliant, vivid, and excellently drawn. They appreciate the humor and wit. Overall, customers describe the book as authentic and original, with a depth and hope that they didn't want to end.

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Readability Emotional content Character development Gripping story Writing style Humor Authenticity Debut novel

36 customers mention ‘Readability’36 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They describe it as a compelling story with an intense plot and a tender ending. The author does an excellent job of keeping readers hooked into the story until the end. Overall, customers consider it an impressive debut novel that will stay with them.

"...reviews calling this a book of the year, it's certainly a hugely impressive debut and a book that will stay with me...." Read more

"Has a debut novel this was intriguing and different and I loved the plot twist. The story was well written and I enjoyed how it blended together...." Read more

"An absolute page-turner! Three women on the cusp of the afterlife are required to show they know the meaning of love...." Read more

"...Some of it I predicted but there were some interesting twists to it. Surprisingly enjoyable" Read more

19 customers mention ‘Emotional content’19 positive0 negative

Customers find the book poignant and relatable. They appreciate the engaging characters and heart-wrenching storylines. The storytelling is good and fits aptly with the story. Readers describe the book as thought-provoking, exciting, and brilliant from start to finish. There is a real depth, reflective soul-searching, and a hope and wish for better.

"...The writing style is chatty and relatable, with humour and sharp edges, I'd compare it to Liane Moriarty and Liz Nugent...." Read more

"Has a debut novel this was intriguing and different and I loved the plot twist. The story was well written and I enjoyed how it blended together...." Read more

"...are hooked right to the very end, which is both twisty and yet emotionally beautiful." Read more

"...The story concluded well. The storytelling was really good and fitted aptly with the title." Read more

13 customers mention ‘Character development’13 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters alive and complex. They care about them and find them vividly drawn with unique voices. The characters remain long after reading the book, especially the three female protagonists, who are credible and realistic.

"...on every occasion, you just cannot stop reading because these characters are so alive they jump out of the page...." Read more

"...The three different main characters were well portrayed...." Read more

"...Every character was believable and relatable, and I found myself routing for the three ladies in limbo. Highly recommend." Read more

"...epilogue, I didn't want it to end; so credible and real are the three female protagonists, you are left yearning to share more of their lives...." Read more

12 customers mention ‘Gripping story’12 positive0 negative

Customers find the story gripping and interesting. They say it draws them in from the start and keeps them wanting more. The plot is unusual, surprising, and authentic. It's a brilliant debut novel that will hook you in from page one.

"...The stories are poignant and unpredictable, as we root for these characters and their hopes of love and happiness...." Read more

"Has a debut novel this was intriguing and different and I loved the plot twist. The story was well written and I enjoyed how it blended together...." Read more

"...never lets up and you are hooked right to the very end, which is both twisty and yet emotionally beautiful." Read more

"...The plot is unusual and often surprising, sometimes dark, always authentic and both beautifully and skillfully crafted...." Read more

11 customers mention ‘Writing style’11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing style. They find the language vivid and the descriptions excellent. The book is described as brilliantly written and fitting with its title.

"...The writing style is chatty and relatable, with humour and sharp edges, I'd compare it to Liane Moriarty and Liz Nugent...." Read more

"...Some of the descriptions are so excellently drawn that it is almost as though you are standing there in the scene with the characters...." Read more

"...The storytelling was really good and fitted aptly with the title." Read more

"...Good story and well written. Will recommend to my friends and family. A really enjoyable read." Read more

6 customers mention ‘Humor’6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor. They find it witty, relatable, and clever.

"...The writing style is chatty and relatable, with humour and sharp edges, I'd compare it to Liane Moriarty and Liz Nugent...." Read more

"...Darkly funny, with complex and frustrating characters...." Read more

"...Brilliantly written, this book is a rollercoaster of love, lies, laughter and sex and it’s message will stay with you long after the last page." Read more

"...This is a wonderful novel. The writing is superb, the humour sharp and the premise of the book highly original. A full 5* from me. Highly recommended." Read more

5 customers mention ‘Authenticity’5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book authentic, original, and credible. They describe it as unique and different.

"...There is a real depth, a reflective soul-searching and a hope and a wish for better outcomes...." Read more

"...The story itself is simply wonderful and unique and the writing is fabulous...." Read more

"...Despite its perfectly satisfying epilogue, I didn't want it to end; so credible and real are the three female protagonists, you are left yearning to..." Read more

"Beautifully Different!..." Read more

5 customers mention ‘Debut novel’5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoyed the debut novel. They found it gripping and praised it as a fantastic debut from Caron McKinlay.

"This is a debut novel, and I've seen such a buzz about it on social media...." Read more

"What a debut from Caron McKinlay! Book landed this morning in my Kindle and I couldn't put it down...." Read more

"...So many emotions to be felt and you’ll never want it to end. A fantastic debut that will be remembered for years to come. Well done Caron McKinlay...." Read more

"A debut novel which had me gripped...." Read more

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Top reviews from United Kingdom

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D Read
Poignant, captivating and soul searching.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 May 2022
Verified Purchase

This is a debut novel, and I've seen such a buzz about it on social media. I picked it up with very high expectations for something different and very special.

The stories of three woman, in a limbo between life and an afterlife, to move on they must share their stories of life and love, and convince the gatekeeper they understand 'love'.

It's easy to get lost trying to pigeon hole it into a genre, women's fiction, psychological or metaphysical, but the genre doesn't matter to me, the limbo is a framework for these three characters to share their stories.

The stories are captivating. Nikki the teenage waitress who falls for the Italian chef, headmistress Ronnie who falls for a charming Ofsted inspector and Mrs Hawthorne who meets the recently widowed Charles.

The writing style is chatty and relatable, with humour and sharp edges, I'd compare it to Liane Moriarty and Liz Nugent. The stories are poignant and unpredictable, as we root for these characters and their hopes of love and happiness. There is a real depth, a reflective soul-searching and a hope and a wish for better outcomes.

I've seen reviews calling this a book of the year, it's certainly a hugely impressive debut and a book that will stay with me. I recommend you give it a try.

💔🌤📚

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2 people found this helpful

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DMH
Very different
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 June 2022
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Has a debut novel this was intriguing and different and I loved the plot twist. The story was well written and I enjoyed how it blended together. There was a couple of things that irritated me though and that was the stereotyping of a couple of characters. Mrs Hawthorne was described has a woman in her late 60's but the author made her appear so much older which often happens in books. All 60 year old are not old fuddy duddies and it's annoying when they get portrayed like that. Also Gio the Italian would not speak English like that and again it was using Italian stereotypes from TV programmes. A little more research would demonstrate that this is not accurate. However other than these 2 irritating parts of the book, I did enjoy it and would happily recommend it.

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2 people found this helpful

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Robinl15
Almost there.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 August 2022
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I read this book in an evening as I got caught up in the women's stories. The only issue was the ending which was too neat. It would have improved if the idea of the purgatory had been developed.

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Booksarebest
Emotionally beautiful - with a twist!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 May 2022
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An absolute page-turner! Three women on the cusp of the afterlife are required to show they know the meaning of love. And with that, we are swept up into their lives. Every character in the book is vividly drawn, each with a unique voice. As their stories unfold, you are caught up in wave after wave of emotions from laughter to sadness, from rooting for each woman to tearing your hair out at some of their mistakes. But on every occasion, you just cannot stop reading because these characters are so alive they jump out of the page.

The story itself is simply wonderful and unique and the writing is fabulous. Some of the descriptions are so excellently drawn that it is almost as though you are standing there in the scene with the characters. And the intensity of the emotions evoked is cleverly interwoven with a feminist reflection on women and the relationship struggles they sometimes face. The pace never lets up and you are hooked right to the very end, which is both twisty and yet emotionally beautiful.

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2 people found this helpful

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Lisa
Surprisingly page turning
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 July 2022
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When I first started the book for the first few chapters I didn't think I would like it as it seemed a bit boring but then I got drawn in and wanted to continue reading it. Some of it I predicted but there were some interesting twists to it. Surprisingly enjoyable

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City Chic
Not your usual romance novel
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 May 2024
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This is not your usual romance novel and that's what I enjoyed about this story. The three different main characters were well portrayed. I liked the feisty Ronnie, I hoped Nikki would see sense and get away from Gio, and was unsure if Mrs Hawthorne and Charles were right for one another. The story concluded well. The storytelling was really good and fitted aptly with the title.

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Jo Kelly
Beautifully Different!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 March 2023
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I'm so glad I pushed this up my TBR pile, and that only happened because I'd just finished reading one book, on the train, no wi-fi to download the book I was planning on reading next, when this book was at the top of my Kindle library and with another 2 hours left on the train, I started it.

OMG - Its like no other book I have read before. 3 women, all in different stages of life, find themselves on a beach (is the afterlife??) along with a Gatekeeper who tells them they can only move on if they prove to him that they understand the meaning of Love. Nikki, young & naive is only 19, Ronnie, career woman in her 40s and the older Mrs Hawthorn. All bound by their choices in love, all quite disastrous too!

The last 20% of the book is just sublime. The other 80% was just as brilliant but the ending gave me goosebumps.

Read it if you can, take a punt on it, I did and I LOVED it

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Mrs. El Dooner-marden
Good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 June 2022
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I really enjoyed this book but for a number of reasons, but mostly because I couldn’t predict what happened towards the end. Really like the fact it’s not a traditional chick lit novel.

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Reviewer from USA
Compelling story with memorable characters
Reviewed in the United States on 20 May 2022
Verified Purchase

The story concept intrigued me, and then wow, did it deliver as we meet three marvelously defined characters and follow them in their rich lives. At turns sexy, sassy, and heartfelt, the writing is smart and propulsive, with short chapters and pitch-perfect scenes pulling the reader through the narratives. You feel like you know these characters and what they are up against. I fell in love with Ronnie by the time she exquisitely pulls off the kind of Valentine's Day shenanigan a girl like her might deploy to ensnare the playboy she knows is going to ignore the holiday for her because she is his "Wednesday girl," and had big pangs for another character who was in love with a man who was still in love with his deceased wife.

There is so much to recognize and relate to in these brilliantly evoked women as they wrestle with the various men in their lives, with their own hunger for care and attention, and with each other. There are many dramatic threads and questions throughout—and then by Chapter 43 I was screaming at the visceral drama on the page, and then I was completely taken aback by rewarding, twisty reveals that stuck the landing. A confident, polished, fun debut!

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JulieB
Favoloso!
Reviewed in Italy on 2 October 2023
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Questo romanzo mi ha catturato dalla prima pagina. L'ho divorato! Le tre donne erano personaggi straordinariamente ricchi, ognuno con la propria storia da scoprire, in capitoli alternati. Ogni volta che finivo un capitolo, mi promettevo di leggerne solo un altro, ma era troppo difficile metterlo giù e ho letto tutta la notte per finirlo. Darei sei stelle se potessi!

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Mrs. Donna L. Doll
A Story Well Told
Reviewed in the United States on 17 May 2022
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Ms McKinlay's skillful writing kept me reading from beginning to end with very few stops to interrupt that process.
Intertwining the lives of the three characters in a place the doesn't really exist birthed a mystery whose solution was totally unpredictable. The denouement is exactly right to bring to a conclusion a twisty story of love betrayed, turning heartache into hope.

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Audrey Davis
Original and beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on 31 May 2022
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What a stunningly original and beautifully written book! And a debut, which makes it even more remarkable, as the author has crafted a tale which speaks of an innate talent.
From the start I was drawn into the lives of the three main characters. So very different, each facing the challenges of life and relationships and thrown together in a unique and mysterious setting.
I won't go into depth about the plot. The blurb is sufficient to pique the reader's interest, without giving away the intricacies of the storyline.
So many wonderful and memorable lines along the way:
–Snared. Like an irritant inside a saltwater oyster.
–If younger, I'd spring towards him and jump into his lap, but creaking bones and sore knees make the journey muted and longer. The decades, thieves of spontaneity.
–Have I not had enough experience to recognise the lure of the bastards? The ones that make you fly with their words then slice your wings with their actions.
A difficult book to categorise, which is no bad thing. Put aside any preconceptions and simply embrace each and every wonderful page. Because the story told is one that will remain with you for a long time…

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The Storytellers Kindle Edition

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Top reviews from United Kingdom

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Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling story with memorable characters

5.0 out of 5 stars Favoloso!

3.0 out of 5 stars A Story Well Told

5.0 out of 5 stars Original and beautiful

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Compelling story with memorable characters

Favoloso!

A Story Well Told

Original and beautiful