A DNA ancestry test opens up a Pandora’s Box of secrets.
When Elsa Watson takes a DNA ancestry test out of idle curiosity she little imagines the devastating consequences she is about to unleash.
Two families become reluctantly entwined as inconvenient truths and long suppressed memories resurface.
A #whodunnit with a difference, Don’t Ask visits the glam rock Seventies, Britpop, Operation Yewtree and #metoo within its alternating past and present chapter structure.
My Thoughts
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Don’t ask is a story that focuses around the lives of several individuals who, rather unexpectedly, find themselves becoming entangled in one another’s lives.
When Elsa makes the decision to use the DNA test that she had been gifted, she cannot possibly begin to comprehend how much this decision will impact on her life. It brings a lot of questions to the surface, most of which have incredibly difficult answers, and some of them bring with them terrible consequences too.
At first, Elsa comes across as a rather selfish person, who has little regard for others feelings and how her actions could impact upon them, but as the story progresses it becomes apparent that Elsa has some underlying mental health issues which impact on how she interacts with others.
The story alternates between the past and present, giving us a deeper insight into the lives of the characters. The story is unique in every sense, tackling difficult issues throughout, something the author certainly deserves high praise for.
I would say that the ending was somewhat abrupt and left me wanting to know what had become of the characters following the events that took place.
Well written, thought provoking and totally captivating, this is a wonderful read.
About the Author
Paul Carroll has been drawn to ink and the written word since launching a rock fanzine in his late teens.
Born and bred in Leeds, Paul crossed the Pennines in the mid-70s to study English Language and English Literature at the University of Manchester. Chasing a job in journalism he stumbled into the world of PR and ten years after starting his career set up his own PR consultancy, Communique PR, in Manchester.
There he worked on many well-known brands including Boddingtons, Heineken, Thorntons Chocolate, Chicago Town Pizza, Big D peanuts, Co-op Funerals and Manchester Airport. These days, Paul concentrates on his writing.
Paul’s books are full of dark humour and satirical takes. His writing has been compared to that of Ben Elton, Nick Hornby and Jonathan Coe in tackling serious contemporary issues in a highly engaging and entertaining way.
Don’t Ask (Matador 2021) is Paul Carroll’s fourth novel, following A Matter of Life and
Death (Matador, 2012), Written Off (Matador, 2016), and Trouble Brewing (Matador,
2017).
Victoria Wilks 
Thanks for the blog tour support x
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Thank you for letting me be a part of it x
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