What a fascinating group of intertwined tales centered against the lovely backdrop of Clissold Park.
About the Book
Clissold Park in North London boasts football pitches, ponds, woods, a playground, and even a deer park. But it also harbours urban cowgirls, secret love affairs, buried fortunes, match-making beagles, sentient trees … and a strong whiff of magic.
Told over the course of a year, twelve stories intertwine to form a vibrant tapestry of modern London life. Meet laid-back Lloyd the park-keeper and his fussy side-kick Rob, star-crossed sweethearts Josh and Essen, feisty horse-lover Abimbola, and the 97 ghosts who party every Halloween with Lord Clissold…
It Happened in Clissold Park will warm your cockles, open your eyes, and rekindle your wonder at the people and places we take for granted every day.
Enjoy your visit!
My Thoughts
I’ll admit, when I started this book, I didn’t quite know what to expect. And, really, in some ways, it’s hard to explain what I’ve read after the fact as well. On the one hand, I definitely have comps – think movies like Love Actually or Valentine’s Day – where you have lots of characters living life that are tangentially connected by something. Then, throw in a dash of “Welcome to Nightvale,” the darkly comedic podcast that keeps thousands of listeners coming back for more. Blend them, give them a nice new spin, and you’ve got something akin to the interesting magic that is “It Happened in Clissold Park.”
I had a hard time putting the book down because, in every chapter, I was filled with a sense of urgency – how would this person fit in with the storyline? Why has this person been introduced, or sometimes, reintroduced? Repeat visitors were always especially welcome. The most beloved and frequent characters are Rob and Lloyd, the loyal park keepers, both dedicated to their jobs, just handling them in very different ways. Watching them handle their job in such different ways and seeing how their love for the park really impacted it through different people and their lives interacting with the park was incredibly interesting.
This was absolutely one of those books that I enjoyed way more than I expected. I was intrigued by the blurb, so I gave it a chance to step out of my comfort zone and then was absolutely pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the human interest aspect of getting these small peaks into these people’s lives. I also enjoyed the weird sci-fi aspect of the occasional intrusion of absolute nonsense that was pure science fiction/fantasy.
I’m so grateful to the author and LBT for including me in this tour, and I really look forward to reading more by this author!
Who’s It For?
If you’re a short story lover, sink your teeth into this unique compilation! All set within the area of Clissold Park, you will not be disappointed by the rich setting and intriguing character building.
Content Warnings: This book contains several topics that may disturb some readers, including, but not limited to, gang activity, violence, family dysfunction, mystical events, murder, death, environmental violence, adult language, adult situations, and more
About the Author
Hugh Todd has had several stories published. ‘Now or never’ appeared in Popshot magazine, while ‘1 in 300,000,000’ was shortlisted for the Winston Fletcher prize. He has a diploma in short story writing from City University and has enjoyed a 30-year career in advertising as an award-winning copywriter. He gets his ideas from daily walks in his local park in north London, which is where his debut novel ‘It Happened in Clissold Park’ is set.
Links
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Happened-Clissold-Park-Hugh-Todd-ebook/dp/B0D5YRSDWZ/ref=sr_1_1
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happened-Clissold-Park-Hugh-Todd/dp/1805143336/ref=sr_1_1
Bookshop US: https://bookshop.org/a/25511/9781805143338
Bookshop UK: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/it-happened-in-clissold-park-hugh-todd/7657030?ean=9781805143338
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214191118-it-happened-in-clissold-park
Author’s Website: https://www.hughtodd.com/
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Published by Amorina Carlton. Award-winning American author, Amorina Carlton, is currently working on her first novel. You can find more about her published work and works in progress on the home page. She also serves as the PR/Marketing Lead for Ravens and Roses Publishing, and reviews books, mostly by other indie authors, here and on Bookstagram.