When Clive and Martha’s daughter, Eliza, begins piano lessons with a new teacher, the couple is shocked to see a face from their past. But Clive knows that the reappearance of Eliot Fox has the potential to shake his little family, as Eliot carries with her a secret Clive hoped would stay long buried.

At its core, Never Mind Miss Fox is less about the twist it’s sold on and much more about the complexities of marriage. While it fails to deliver truly unpredictable suspense, it’s quite successful at deconstructing the secrets and emotions that can destroy relationships. Glazebrook’s prose is perfectly succinct and particularly suited for detailing the lifestyle her characters live and the quiet emotions they carry.

“‘You’re only sorry because you’re frightened of losing your family. You’re sorry for yourself.’ Yes I am, Clive thought. What other way is there? ‘Sorry’ would always start and end with himself.”

Readers turning to Never Mind Miss Fox in search of a mind-bending plot that keeps them guessing may be disappointed, however, when revealed, Clive’s secret feels real instead of pieced together for effect. Combined with Martha’s struggle to adjust to motherhood, Glazebrook has written a novel that tests the breaking points of marriage and examines the fault lines some are built on. ( )

This was a story about several people and their relationships and how they can suffer when one has a secret.
First of all, the characters were really horrible. They were angry, bitter and unkind to each other. The writing was well-done. It explores the relationship between Clive and his wife, Martha. Something terrible happened in the past that Clive has never confided to Martha. When things begin to unravel and the truth comes out, Clive is confronted with the consequences.
I enjoyed the book, just hard to feel any sympathy for these unhappy, aloof characters. I received a complimentary copy from Goodreads.com in exchange for a review ( )

Eliza, the daughter of Clive and Martha, came home to say that her new piano teach was Eliot Fox. Lives changed in a hurry and finally the past caught up with Clive. A happy family at one time was now in a turmoil. Could they survive this? A quick and easy to understand read! ( )

The writing itself was really good and fast paced, but I did not really care for the story at all. I didn't like any of the characters and found them to be just awful and brattish. ( )

While you won't fall in love with the characters in Never Mind Miss Fox, you will want to know what happens to them as the story unfolds. The plot is predictable but it mirrors the struggles of typical life as we all carry secrets from our youth that mold who we are as adults. For Glazebrook's Clive, the secret, buried but always just under the surface, comes to life when a woman from his past reenters his life. Once a friend and now a music teacher, Eliot plays on the emotional state of Clive. "Will you tell?" he asks her. "I won't have to," she answers. The author explores the facets of marriage from passion to stability to forgiveness. She shows how a single act can affect a multitude of people, even years after it was committed. The novel is thought-provoking, causing you to wonder about the what-ifs of life. I look forward to reading more from the author.

*I received an advanced reading copy of the book through Goodreads.* ( )