My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

First and foremost, I am so grateful to the author Ode Ray for having given me a chance to read such a wonderful work. I have always known there are some outstanding gems hidden among all the millions of books being published that for multitude of reasons may not catch the public eye but they are undoubtedly the best out there. Of Magpies and Men is one of those ‘diamond of the first water’.

From the prologue, that opens with a middle-aged couple discussing about the tour brochure to the epilogue where the same couple rushes away before the detective catches their eye is filled with humor and engaging drama interwoven with twists and turns that one never sees coming. The subjects being discussed in the story are quite vast, motherhood, grief, infertility, parental neglect, guilt, acceptance of sexuality, bullying, and by end of it all, an encompassing love and hope. Benedicts road to discovery of his worth, Marie’s selfless act of courage and compassion, Romain’s valiant effort to be the man of the house, Yukinobu’s silent love and support, Detective Giandomenico Paoli’s surefooted approach to life, each segment of the story was magnificent in its description.

The story unfolds in a leisurely pace moving back and forth across different places to events that link the discovery of the 2 dead bodies and how Benedict in London and Marie in Italy discover each other. On the surface there’s nothing that links these 2 individuals but I loved how the author has used different layers in the story and unravels each thread and ties it up wonderfully in the end. The climax with a set of incidents that leads to a shocker was totally unexpected and left me teary-eyed.

A rare gem that deserves all the accolades!

Can any good come of longings that a person can never satisfy? If so, good for whom?

Two corpses wash ashore in a picturesque Italian village, the violence that put them there is bound to a long held secret and two strangers living worlds apart with seemingly nothing in common.

Benedict Grant a high achiever, wealthy Londoner, leading a lonely life.

Marie Boulanger a nurse and single mum, struggling to make ends meet in Marseille.

However, a mother’s illicit revelation will set in motion a chain of events that will reshape their identities, stir poignant family affairs and delve into the by-products of lawless decisions.

Discover a captivating and moving story of impossible yearnings, weaving mystery, drama and romance peppered with humour. A tale that will stay with you long after its final page and a twist you won’t see coming. 

This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.wordpress.com/; Amazon India, Goodreads, and Twitter.