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  • The Last Piece

  • By: Imogen Clark
  • Narrated by: Laura Kirman
  • Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
  • 3.9 out of 5 stars (84 ratings)
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The Last Piece cover art

The Last Piece

By: Imogen Clark
Narrated by: Laura Kirman
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Summary

A sudden departure. A story decades in the making.

The chaotic but happy equilibrium of the Nightingale family is thrown into disarray when Cecily - whose children can't remember her ever being remotely spontaneous - disappears to a Greek island with no warning or explanation.

Her reasons for doing something so out of character are a total mystery to her three daughters, high-powered executive Felicity, unfulfilled GP Julia and organised mother-of-five Lily. What connection could she possibly have with Kefalonia?

But Cecily has gone to continue a story she thought ended decades ago - one that could have a huge impact on her family. And when she returns, she'll have to tell them the truth.

Will Cecily be able to hold her family together once she reveals her big secret? And might she discover that she's not the only one with a story to tell?

©2020 Blue Lizard Books Ltd. (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“This is a wonderful novel about the secrets we keep from the ones we love the most. Imogen Clark has a real talent for shining a light on the idiosyncrasies of family life and revealing past traumas, present hurts, and future hopes.”—Victoria Connelly, author of The Rose Girls and Love in an English Garden

The Last Piece is a beautifully crafted, insightful tale about family and the cracks below the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Clark’s characters, with their various secrets and flaws, leap off the page. A most enjoyable and riveting read.”—S.D. Robertson, author of My Sister’s Lies and Time to Say Goodbye

“I couldn’t resist going on this journey with the Nightingale family. With emotion on every page and mystery swirling around each character, The Last Piece explores how the past can be as unpredictable as the future. I raced through this life-affirming book, which left me buoyed with the promise of second chances.”—Jo Furniss, author of The Last to Know

What listeners say about The Last Piece

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A very "nice" story

In the recent time of darkness, I really felt like I needed to hear something nice and safe. I didn't get entirely what I expected in that sense but I enjoyed the relationships between the characters.
I particularly liked the section recalling Cecily's childhood. I thought it was beautiful and sensitively handled.
The main "mystery" for Cecily's visit to Kefalonia is the most obvious reason that occurs to you but the story is more about the resolution of unfinished ties.
I've read another review saying that the narrator sounds like she is reading to children. I know what they mean BUT I found her voice charming, reassuring and I loved listening to the narration.
This book will especially appeal to people who like stories that feel more real and grounded in events that are likely to happen.
(This won't appeal to people who are after action, darkness and sinister twists.)
It verged on a bit too "nicey-nicey" for me but as I was looking for a more mellow read than usual, I was able to appreciate the characters and subtle plots.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

For adults or children?

Audio version - Why is the narrator talking as if she's reading a children's book? It's very irritating.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Bittersweet

A bittersweet tale about a young girl falling pregnant a mere child herself and she had to give the child away for adoption.

Fifty years later the child she gave up now a woman decides to get in touch. We then see what happens when the mother Cecily is reunited with her daughter. Cecily’s own children are none the wiser so there is a lot to explain and will it be happy ever after.....

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Too repetitive

Cecily and Norman Nightingale (aged 66 & 70) live a comfortable settled life in Harrogate and have raised their three daughters, Lilley & Julia twins and Felicity there. They are a close knit family until Cecily's long buried secret is revealed.
An interesting story should have come out of this but it didn't. Cecily is irritating, dithering over everything and unbelievably is unable to use a mobile phone! I am 72 and wouldn't be without mine; it made her seem pathetic. Husband Norman also sounds much older than 71.
Their mother's secret has an impact on the three daughters lives and this is mostly what the story is about.
I found it quite boring, with characters I just didn't care about and the same conversations over and over again nearly sent me to sleep!!
I wouldn't recommend this book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable

Took a while to get started. Once in an excellent storyline with an ending that was understandable

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

pointless

not much of a story, so easily could have been better with a few twists and turns. was an effort to get into for not much reward

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Intriguing but spoiled by narration

What a pity the narrator fails to pronounce simple words, so one’s concentration is interrupted. The story was pleasant and the characters all interesting. Only ploughed on to the end to see how it worked out

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Predictable

Really struggled to finish. I guessed correctly what would happen next and was never wrong. Boring.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Left Wanting :-(

This reminds me of an episode of the 90s sitcom 'Keeping Up Appearances', with Cecily falling nicely into Patricia Routledges character Hyacinth Bucket and Norman as the ever patient but underheel Richard Bucket. However, sadly, as it's not written to be a comedy it had none of the charm, the punchlines or the humour that made the iconic tv program a hit. In my opinion the story was dull, tedious and unremarkable. Considering the heartbreaking theme of a baby taken from it's mother over 50 years ago where was the passion pulling at the heartstrings? I kept waiting throughout to be drawn in, I wanted to feel/share the emotion the pain and subsequent joy but disappointingly it didn't happen. The narration, however slightly irritating, was excellent for putting some colour on the pages and life in to characters that were otherwise flat and mundane

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
  • S.
  • 14-06-21

Pleasant enough

A very easy listen but the characters were never really developed and the narration was very irritating.

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