It's Good To Talk

The book follows on from 'Barn Find' #1 in the Ripsea series. This short story is not set in Ripsea.

Well, you probably won't believe what's happened now. I'm Jess, by the way, and I'm living in Seville with my husband, Marco, and our little girl, Ana. Life has changed rather a lot since I left England, and for once I thought things were finally settling down nicely.

Then somebody burgled our apartment.

Most of what they took was replaceable, but one thing wasn't. Hidden inside a battered old copy of Oliver Twist were three precious diamonds, a secret passed down through my family for generations. That book meant the world to me, and not just because of the diamonds. It was Gran's book, full of memories of the woman who helped make me who I am.

I hadn't even told many people about the stones. So how on earth did the burglars know?

Marco thinks I should tell the police everything. I'm not so sure. Without paperwork or proof, explaining the dodgy diamonds could be a bit of a nightmare. And there's something else bothering me: the book had been safe for decades, yet it disappeared shortly after I finally shared its secret with my husband.

Coincidence? Maybe. But I've learned the hard way that life doesn't always work out quite as neatly as you'd hope.

Meanwhile, in another part of Seville, Reina is discovering that getting back in touch with her estranged father, Roberto, might not have been the brilliant idea she'd imagined. He's a career thief with a talent for trouble, and before long she's caught up in something she never really wanted to do.

As their worlds collide, a burglary becomes more complicated than anyone expected. Secrets, family loyalties and some very questionable decisions begin to unravel, leaving everyone with choices to make.

Will I get back what I've lost? And can people who've made mistakes find the courage to do the right thing?

Well, I suppose you'll have to keep listening. I've got plenty more to tell you.

It's Good to Talk is a warm, funny and unconventional Ripsea story told directly by Jess herself. With her Yorkshire humour, a soundtrack that never seems to leave her head, and a knack for finding something to say about just about everything, she proves that sometimes talking really is the best way to make sense of life's messier moments.