Cass Green Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Cass Green is the pen name used by Caroline Green, the award-winning author of Young Adult Fiction genre. The author debut novel, Dark Ride was the winner of the Waverton Good Read Award and RONA Young Adult Book of the Year. Additionally, Cracks and Hold Your Breath garnered lots of positive reviews and subsequently shortlisted for eleven awards. Green teaches Writing for Children at City University and is also the Writer in Residence at East Barnet.

Green has always loved writing stories, and as a child, she used to come up with story serials that were full of dastardly baddies and plucky heroines. Before writing Young Adult Fiction, Cass Green worked as a journalist covering areas such of health and science. The author first book, Dark Ride was published in 2011 by Piccadilly Press. When not writing, you will find Green reading, hanging out with her family (her husband and brilliant sons) and walk daft chocolate Labrador. Cass Green’s novels have been nominated and won various awards. For example, Dark Ride was long-listed for the Redbridge Children’s Book Awards and Branford Boase Award. Subsequently, Hold Your Breath won the Oldham Books Award and was shortlisted for the Portsmouth Book Award and the Cheadle Hulme Saint James Award.

The Woman Next Door

The Woman Next Door is a story of two ladies and how their just neighborly friendship transforms into a more evil relationship as the two become caught up in each other’s lives.

The alluring and seemingly miss independent Melissa is married to Mark, and the couple has a teenage daughter named Tilly, who Hester, their neighbor had often looked after when she was younger. In the recent times, things have drifted, and Hester is desperate to become part of Melissa’s life once again. Moreover, when an opportunity crosses her path- to rescue Melissa- she grabs it without any hesitation, and from then forward things start to lead the two women on a much eviler and lethal path surfacing darkest secrets and the faults in their well build outward images.

We also meet Hester, a prickly character. She is neither friendly nor warm- always complaining about other women on a course she is attending- always criticizing them as “being defined by the working of their womb.” However, Hester offense at the question whether she has kids or not immediately indicates an issue and offers some explanations for her reserve and bitterness. She is a proud young woman, and when invited to join the group for a party afterward, her reaction is out of control.

She knows that she is not popular among the folks of her age and thus she alienates herself. She is an exciting character with awry sides, observations, and comments. She is intriguing, and her lively story steadily moves along full of eye-rolling judgments, dry wit, and also with some bits of sorrow and sympathy. Hester’s sections are narrated in first person perspective which allows the readers to get a deeper understanding of the character, her internal monologue and also appreciate her sense of superiority and judgmental attitude.

As the story progresses, it becomes crystal clear that Hester is not quite an authentic narrator as her knowledge of other people is often negative and tainted. However, all in all, Cass Green clearly understands how to use her undependable narrator to build tension and lots of opportunities for twists and shocking revelations. Hester is quite unlikable and repulsive, but there is a trait quite satisfying about this character. Her comments and observations are acidic and sharply cutting such that she becomes the kind of character that you would love to hate. She often mentions about her dead husband’s cruelty towards her which makes the reader “prone” to feeling bits of sympathy towards her- but are Hester’s claims true?

On the other hand there is Melissa, and at first, she is neither likable as well. Hell-bent with her physical appearance, she openly confesses that she cannot remember what percentage of her body is artificial. She is also full of bitterness towards her husband as happily runs up a massive bill every single turn she makes. She is haunted by something, keeping something a secret and the common simile of her world to being like a snow globe breaking slightest force is so effective in creating suspense.

When Melissa’s brother comes knocking at her door unannounced, events begin to spiral out of control. It turns out that Melissa has a past that she has worked so hard to keep a secret, and there is not a way that she wants to be reminded of it right now. The deliberate cruelty that Jamie’s arrival initiates within her bits of a deep, dark past. What happens next will ultimately affect everyone and change their lives dramatically such that none of them can predict the shattering road of self-destruction they are firmly riding on.

The second section of the book indicates the increasing control and power Hester feels as she assists Melissa deal with her brother, Jamie. It is an interesting psychological study –Melissa and Hester and a really fascinating dynamic.

In a Cottage in the Woods

In a Cottage in the Woods, Cass Green introduces the reader to, Neve Carey, a troubled heroine and a suicidal woman named Isabelle.

Neve encounters Isabelle on a bridge as they have a brief dialogue before Isabelle jumps off. Even though the conversation is brief, the reader gets to learn a lot about Neve- for one thing, Neve is kind to stop and help strangers, she is also hard on herself, and questions her motivations and often thinks that she falls short. She is the kind of person who does the right thing when it matter but at the same time she is troubled and unhappy. Within a couple of the first few pages, you get to know who Neve is and why she does what she does.

Cass Green has created believable characters- for instance, a lot is going wrong in Neve’s life- she is temporarily staying with her sister, her relationship has broken up, and her job is boring and underpaying. If you love mystery thriller novels, then you will find In a Cottage in the Woods by Cass Green a book worth reading.