Forever Home
Review
Forever Home
Graham William Walker is an Irish actor better known globally by his stage name, Graham Norton. He is one of the most recognized faces in the world due to the huge success of his talk show, “The Graham Norton Show,” as well as his hosting duties for the “Eurovision Song Contest.”
However, many of Norton's fans may not know that he is quite an accomplished author. He has written some outstanding mysteries that hark back to the days of Dame Agatha Christie, as well as terrific pure fiction. His latest release, FOREVER HOME, falls into the second category while still maintaining the “cozy” setting that is often associated with less grim mystery stories.
"FOREVER HOME focuses on family and, more precisely, the special bond between mothers and daughters. Norton handles this subject matter and every other aspect of his story with grace and style, along with the comic flair for which he is widely known."
Norton writes what he knows as the setting is a small town in Ireland. Carol is a divorced teacher with a grown son who never believed that she would have a second chance at love. But that is exactly what happens when Declan comes into the picture. The only trouble with living in a small town is that its close-knit bunch of residents are sometimes overeager to get into each other’s business.
That is the case here as Declan’s background becomes great fodder for the gossip and rumor mill. Specifically, they wonder why Carol would attach herself to a man whose previous marriage ended in his wife mysteriously abandoning him. She barely can catch her breath as she prepares to face these questions head on when Declan suddenly takes ill. Though it initially does not appear to be life-threatening, it is still concerning enough to make Carol begin to doubt once again if she is truly destined for happiness in her life. When Declan declines into early-onset dementia, he is immediately placed in a home.
Complicating matters is that Declan's children from his first marriage are uncommonly heartless towards him and his health crisis. What transpires next is a battle over the family home, which Carol isn’t sure how to handle. If there is a rock and a moral center of this story, it would be her 80-year-old mother, Moira, who is the most likable and best-developed character in the novel. Carol has no choice but to move back in with Moira, whose guidance rings true.
Throughout all of this, Carol continues to battle the rumors concerning Declan’s past, which Moira also would like to figure out and finally put to rest. It will not be done easily as these tender matters seldom are.
FOREVER HOME focuses on family and, more precisely, the special bond between mothers and daughters. Norton handles this subject matter and every other aspect of his story with grace and style, along with the comic flair for which he is widely known. Norton better watch out or he may find himself writing full-time if his books continue to be this well done!
Reviewed by Ray Palen on September 22, 2023
Forever Home
- Publication Date: September 19, 2023
- Genres: Fiction
- Hardcover: 336 pages
- Publisher: HarperVia
- ISBN-10: 0063338610
- ISBN-13: 9780063338616