Broken Country

Broken CountryClare Leslie Hall is a well-known writer in the U.K. having published two domestic noir thrillers under the name Clare Empson. Mine is a love story with decidedly ‘psychological thriller’ vibes, and Him, deals with continuing love and obsession with another person. Broken Country is her North American debut and deals with the same themes of family, trauma and love, but with a much lighter tone. The film rights were acquired in April 2024, and the project reunites the companies that successfully adapted Where the Crawdads Sing. 
 
Plot Summary
Beth is married to loyal, simple Frank where they run a successful farm in the idyllic British countryside. When she discovers that her wealthy teenage lover, Gabriel, has returned to his neighboring mansion, her comfortable life is turned upside down.
The narrative switches timelines between Beth and Gabriel’s passionate first love. Despite their commitment to each other, when the summer ends and they must return to school (Gabriel to first year at Oxford, Beth to finish high school). Gabriel’s mother, focused on appearances, makes it well known that the relationship can’t continue. It’s the ill-fated trope of the poor country girl and the rich upper-class boy that authors have used to bring sorrow to star-crossed lovers forever.
And of course, mother is right. Through miscommunication and insecurity, their affair ends. Both go on with their lives: Beth marries Frank and runs the farm, while Gabriel marries a wealthy peer and moves overseas where he becomes a famous actor.
But now he’s returned, along with his young son, apparently separated from his wife. His return stirs up all of Beth’s deep-seated passions and the love she never quite got over. Frank, as earnest as the day is long, is no fool and knows exactly where this is headed: to no good!
Mixed in with the romantic plotline is the death of Beth and Frank’s only child, nine-year-old Bobby. Grief is a constant presence through the book, sitting side by side with guilt and blame. The cause of Bobby’s death is only told more than halfway through the book. It is then when the first cracks in the marriage are felt, and they are heartbreaking in their realism and relatability. Sympathy runs deeps for this hardworking, loving couple.
Other major characters are Jimmy, Frank’s brother, who works with them on the farm. He is deeply loyal to both Beth and Frank, but a simmering rage runs beneath the surface, fueled by alcohol, and erupting occasionally with violence. Nina, his girlfriend and later, his wife, tries and fails to keep his demons at bay.
A companion to the timeline, is a murder trial. Details are vague – we don’t know who was killed, nor who is accused. All we know of the proceedings is that Beth watches with a mixture of guilt, heartbreak and grief.
 
My thoughts
Although the suspense kept a good pace, I found the back and forth a bit confusing at times. Chapters are labelled 1968, The Trial 1969, Before 1955, then just Before. The inconsistency was a distraction.
Despite that complaint, there was much to like. The characters are well-drawn with sympathy and believable emotions and motives. The story is written from Beth’s point of view and although one could criticize her choices, I thought they were well written and helped illuminate how the tragedy came about. Family and loyalty are major themes in the book, with the simple rural community an extension of this.
Broken Country is a quick read, not deep or philosophical, but well written and the story’s mystery kept me turning pages to find out what happened.
 
Thanks so much for staying with me, friends. I so appreciate your support. That's a wrap for summer. Hope you had lots of fun with family and friends and that some great reads were on your menu. If you have any recommendations, or came across something to share, please let me know. 
And in the meantime, happy reading!
Joni
​