Excerpt
Ex
Alicia Thompson © 2024
All Rights Reserved
Prologue
Exigent
Def. Pressing, demanding.
November 2011
One minute Toby is downing a glass of milk at the island bar while she prepares dinner, the next he is flat on the floor. Adele turns just in time to see her son’s eyes roll back in his head, after he jumped off his stool to demonstrate something from his game.
Her spoon clatters on the floor tiles as she runs to her son. She crashes to his side, her fingers at his neck, her ear to his mouth. Nothing. Her brain goes cold and blank as she swiftly arranges his body and commences CPR, her hands pumping in time to her mind chanting No!…no!…no!
As she goes through the frantic process of trying to revive her son, her glances pinball from one surface to another around the room. Where the hell is her phone? Leaving her son to hunt for it is unthinkable.
Tears of despair run down her cheeks as her efforts produce no response. After what seems like hours, her phone rings. It’s a few feet away just above her head on the buffet table. Clutching at it, she puts it on speaker and slams it on the floor so her hands can fly back to her son.
“—Adele? Are you—”
“Roof! Help me! Call an ambulance. To the house. It’s Toby!”
Chapter One
X Marks the Spot
Def. Ground zero
January 2014
She didn’t want to go, but she went anyway. It was like falling into a rhythm. She locked the door behind her and walked to the end of the street. Brushing past wet rose bushes in a neighbour’s garden on the corner, she walked downhill to South End Green where the shops started, putting one foot in front of the other on the greasy, rained-on pavement.
She averted her eyes from the mothers hurrying along with uniformed children taking them to appointments or for shopping; she plunged her hands deeper into the pockets of her trench coat, focusing on where she walked and the whooshing of passing cars. A melee of food smells assailed her as she ran the gauntlet of the restaurants and takeaway shops. The trip back from the park had always been fraught, with her hungry son wanting her to give in to grease for dinner, not to mention his favourite red velvet cheesecake at Dominique’s. Fish and vinegar smells blended into hot fugs of curry, then segued back into raw fish and seaweed to fried fumy noodles. Already there were mothers at counters with children in tow. But not her. Not today. Not any more.
At the train station, she crossed the road. The street turned uphill, and progress was slow. She had let herself go these last few years living in Australia, even without the excuses of less daylight hours and the higher cost of healthy food.
After passing the car park, she turned up an unmarked entry point into the Heath. She paused and took a deep breath of trees and wet grass, partly to cleanse herself of the polluting streets, but also as if she was entering Narnia and all would be the same as she had left it. The pebbles on the path crunched underfoot and the odd drop of water leaked from the networks of naked branches to hit her glasses or run down the back of her neck.
As she left the path and staggered up a grassy bank, the view opened up and she was there. From her vantage point, she gazed down over an expanse of playing fields backed by thick woods. And there, as she had expected, was an after-school soccer game in progress, small figures running back and forth in bright colours, a few parents on the sidelines.
She had always preferred to watch from the raised bank. Having a redheaded son meant she could easily follow his game, and there was a bench. Her bench.
She walked over to the bin nearby and extracted a discarded newspaper. She crumpled a few sheets and wiped the remaining rainwater off the slats of the bench. She settled down, tucked loose strands of hair back behind her ears, and burrowed her cold hands into her pockets. She could pretend for a little while, at least.
There were no redheaded children in this game—although she looked, of course she looked—which was probably just as well, and time passed as she watched, but didn’t see, the small figures running back and forth, yells and whistles drifting up, providing a disembodied soundtrack to her thoughts.
Some time must have passed when she felt the bench give and vibrate, signalling that she had company. She glanced sideways, not without annoyance, to see a young boy grinning at her as he rustled a paper bag on his lap. Freckles littered his nose and cheeks, and his thin hair fell in shoelace strands over his forehead. He produced a speckled banana from his bag and proceeded to peel it.
“Are you here to watch the game?”
Momentarily distracted by his bony knees and thin bare legs, one wrinkled grey sock around his ankle, the other halfway up his calf, as he banged his school shoes against the bar underneath the bench, she wondered if he was cold. She looked back at his face, watching him stuff banana into his mouth.
“Yes. Yes, I thought I would. Just for a bit.”
He nodded. He had the unpleasant habit of talking with his mouth full, and through the banana and the gap in his front teeth, she saw as well as heard him say, “I’m Charlie Falk.”
His forwardness made her smile. “Well, I’m Mrs Soames.”
Charlie clucked his tongue and grinned. “Yes, I know. You’re Toby’s mum.”
Her heart lurched and suddenly, he seemed different to her: not a cheeky half-urchin invading her peace, but a window onto something…something…
He was still banging his feet in a rhythm on the bench rung, a thrumming beat and vibration that now seemed to portend that something. She swallowed, trying to release the sudden tightness in her throat.
“You—you knew Toby?”
He nodded vigorously, chewing his last gob of mushy fruit as he put the skin in the bag and screwed it up into a ball. “We played football together.”
“Oh…I see.” It was hard to believe this scrawny child was the same age Toby would have been now. Her son had been big for his age, true, but more than two years on, he would have been almost twelve now. She gazed out over the playing field, vaguely aware of little moving figures, seeing only her redheaded son dashing around, kicking the ball. He had loved soccer—football, she mentally corrected herself. He was always scolding her for that.
“Mrs Soames?”
She jerked her head back in Charlie’s direction.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, yes, I’m fine.” She fossicked in her coat for a tissue. She removed her glasses and dabbed at her cheeks. “It just makes me sad coming here. Happy and sad at the same time, if that makes sense. It makes me remember things.” She stood up, feeling the cold and the hardness of the bench, wanting to be home in the warm.
Charlie got up as well, walked over to the bin, and lobbed in his scrunched-up ball. He turned to look back at her, his face suddenly serious and wise. “It’s good to remember things.” He zipped up his jacket. “Goodbye, Mrs Soames. Maybe see you again.”
She half lifted her hand as he turned and walked off down the slope, round a clump of bushes, and out of sight. Walking back down the slope to the dirt path, she marvelled at all the loose threads that had pulled her back to this knotty place. Penelope must start over and weave up the unravelled mess. Again.
Erika Vlug –
A murder mystery packed with EXtreems! Set on opposite sites of the world in the UK and Australia, featuring a lesbian minister, a gay police woman, transvestites, child abuse and conversations with spirits.
Brooke Michie –
Alicia Thompson’s second novel Ex is a harrowing mystery with a grieving mother at its heart. It’s a compelling and relatable story which kept me guessing right until the end.
Having returned to London, following the end of her marriage and still mourning the tragic loss of her son, Adele likes to visit the local playing fields and watch the kids play football, just like her son Toby once did. As she sits on a bench, a young boy sits with her, introducing himself as Charlie and telling her he remembers her son. Adele finds his presence comforting and begins to enjoy these interludes.
Going through the motions of living, Adele also takes comfort from visiting the local church where she meets rector Jo. Jo runs a support group for parents who have lost a child and soon introduces her to Detective Sergeant Xandra Berkeley who has been investigating the unsolved disappearances of three boys over the past several years.
The highlight of this novel were the police procedural elements and the chapters told from Xandra’s POV which added tension. I also appreciated Alicia’s exploration of grief and coping with loss. This was done well and I felt the waves of emotion as I read about Toby’s death and its lonely aftermath for Adele.
Family was another important part of this story and Adele’s scenes with her nephew Jem were heartwarming and real.
As the story built to it’s shocking conclusion, I was reeling as each of the secrets and lies were uncovered. There were definitely some confronting parts so please be aware of trigger warnings.
Ex was a masterful blend of genres and would appeal to crime and romance readers alike. After all the heartache, the story did leave me with a sense of hope, especially for a happy ending for Adele and her new love interest.
Lily Shadowlyn –
5 out of 5. I really enjoyed this – it starts off innocently (if tragically) enough, but things soon escalate. One of the things I liked was the words at the beginning of each chapter, with a short definition, like a clue to the reader as to what waited in the coming pages. Thompson does an amazing job of evoking both vivid imagery, and strong emotions. You can almost feel Adele’s grief, and struggle pouring off the page. (I felt myself tear up a bit, I must admit). I got so wrapped up in Adele’s post-tragedy life that I was completely hooked by the time Xandra was introduced. I loved Xandra just as much as I loved Adele, they’re excellent characters with so much depth, that at times it felt like I was reading about real people. The story moves along at a smooth pace, and is an odd blend of grief, life, loss, and sinister. Honestly, I feel like I’m failing at describing this book and the way it made me feel adequately. All I can really say is, you need to read this. – Liliyana Shadowlyn, The Faerie Review
Joanne Watson –
OMG just finished EX loved it! 5 stars! It was so good and kept me hooked…hurry up and write another xx
J Scott Coatsworth –
Ex is a totally EXcellent novel which I would highly recommend to readers of various genres. (The author prefaces each chapter with an appropriate word beginning with ex so I feel justified in using the same technique.)
The story, which is beautifully written, works on a number of levels and through varied themes.
It is primarily a crime mystery set in London, with side trips to Manchester and Sydney, Australia. Xandra is the strong and competent detective who is striving to find a solution to cases of missing children. Adele is also seeking to solve the mystery, but her insights have a paranormal explanation which she is reluctant to share with Xandra. The book starts with the death of Adele’s son, which is not a mystery but which leads to information about the other cases. I will not go into detail about the paranormal element, because that would be a spoiler and the reader should enjoy the gradual unfolding of that arc of the story for themselves.
The child abuse that forms the basis of the crime is never described in detail but the implied horrors are certainly present so if this triggers you, be warned.
Adele’s family, both in UK and in Australia, is heavily involved in the solution, and we see the pressures of the situation unfold in family drama and distress. At the same time, we get Adele’s nephew coming out as gay at eighteen and also cross dressing, both of which cause more interpersonal stress. The author touches lightly but accurately on the misperception by some people of a connection between being gay and being a paedophile. Adele has divorced since her son’s death, and is badly affected by feelings of guilt and a realization that perhaps she lived, earlier, in a fantasy of her own making with the ‘ex’ of the title. Her efforts at tidying and decluttering her house, which was once his, help towards Xandra’s eventual success.
The FF romance is simply and delicately told, and is very ‘slow burn’ but quite delightful. There’s also a well-drawn minor character – Jo, the local rector, who guides both Adele and Xandra in their search for justice for the children (and their families) and for their own peace of mind.
I was wholly gripped by the complexity of the plot, and by the main characters in the story. I was able to follow Xandra’s reasoning and reach conclusions at the same time as her, something not always the case with detective stories. Adele’s mental anguish was explored in detail and I found myself thinking of her as a friend whose welfare truly concerned me.
So for readers of detective fiction, no disappointments here. You can be assured that Xandra solves the case. For lovers of family dramas you will enjoy the portrayal of the various family members and their very real problems. For those seeking romance, there is pleasure in the eventual love developing between Adele and Xandra. As none of these themes is overwhelming to the detriment of the others, the book should appeal to a wide audience.
Whatever your tastes, buy this book or borrow it from the library. You won’t regret it!
Review by Jay, Queeromance Ink
Trudy Whitcombe –
I’m continuing my Aussie author binge, and have just finished reading Ex by Alicia Thompson.
Ex masterfully weaves together multiple genres – murder mystery, ghost story, and a heart-wrenching portrait of a mother’s grief- into a compelling and atmospheric read set across the UK and Australia. The novel captures the devastation, confusion, and guilt that comes from the unimaginable loss of a child. The murder mystery plot unravels slowly and deliberately, and as Adele and DS Xandra Bentley dig deeper into the mystery, long buried secrets about Adele’s family and the people around her are revealed.
What makes Ex stand out is its ability to merge these genres seamlessly. The ghostly and mysterious elements are never out of place in a story that is, at its heart, about human emotions – especially grief, guilt, and the desperate need for closure. Overall Ex is a deeply enjoyable and multifaceted novel. It is a unique read that will linger with the reader long after they have turned the final page. A five star rating from me