Books For Keeps
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Articles
  • Past Issues
  • Latest Issue
  • Authors and Artists
  • Latest News
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
May 1, 2013/in Fiction 14+ Secondary/Adult /by Angie Hill
BfK Rating:
BfK 200 May 2013
Reviewer: Andrea Reece
ISBN: 978-1849395557
Price: £6.99
Publisher: Andersen Press
Genre: Fiction
Age Range: 14+ Secondary/Adult
Length: 336pp
Buy the Book

The Butterfly Clues

Author: Kate Ellison

A thriller, a mystery, a romance, a study of OCD, The Butterfly Clues also has something of the air of a fairytale to it.

Hero Penelope (Lo), as steadfast and brave as her namesake, is an innocent in a dark and dangerous world. Wandering through unfamiliar streets near her home she is a bystander at a shooting. Lo, who suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, her life constrained by an overwhelming desire for neatness and pattern that causes her to constantly tap patterns on her body, is driven to find out the truth behind the murder. This takes her into a seedy underworld, an area of the city called Neverland. She finds her prince there, though he has his own set of problems, and there are trials and tests for both of them before their happy ending.

We learn that Lo has always had OCD, but that the condition has been exacerbated by the disappearance of her brother, Oren. As the story unfolds, narrated in present tense by Lo herself, we gradually discover what happened to him. It turns out that his story too is linked to that of the murdered girl.

Lo’s is an entirely convincing voice, and Kate Ellison’s novel has a distinct and original feel to it. She successfully combines the realism of the crime thriller, with a fantastical sense of other, hidden worlds. Lo’s condition is skilfully described too so that we experience it as prop and curse. This is an intriguing and compelling read, and a very impressive debut.

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/bfklogo.png 0 0 Angie Hill http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/bfklogo.png Angie Hill2013-05-01 01:00:292021-11-08 13:04:13The Butterfly Clues

Search for a specific review

Author Search

Search







Generic filters




Filter by Member Types


Book Author

Download BfK Issue BfK 263 November 2023
Skip to an Issue:

About Us

Launched in 1980, we’ve reviewed hundreds of new children’s books each year and published articles on every aspect of writing for children.

Read More

Follow Us

Latest News

Latest CLPE Reflecting Realities survey shows sustained upward trend in the volume of inclusive literature for children

November 30, 2023

Winners of 2023 SLA Information Book Award

November 23, 2023

Nero Book Awards Announce Inaugural Shortlist

November 21, 2023

Contact Us

Books for Keeps,
30 Winton Avenue,
London,
N11 2AT

Telephone: 0780 789 3369

ISSN: 0143-909X (this is our International Standard Serial Number).

© Copyright 2023 - Books For Keeps | Proudly Built by Lemongrass Media - Web Design Buckinghamshire
The Story of the Blue Planet       Moon Bear
Scroll to top