June 2026, Michael Terence Publishing
Words Dan Costinas
In the 1960s, the thin division between social acceptance and emotional collapse was a tightrope women walked alone. Proof that a determined voice cannot be silenced by time, Angela Mary Broad’s new novel transforms a long-hidden secret into a masterclass of psychological fiction.
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In crafting this review, I deliberately focused on the book’s overall themes and reading experience, aiming to avoid spoilers and let readers discover the story for themselves. Above all, my hope is that I provide enough insight to help them decide whether the book is right for them while preserving the moments of discovery that make reading so rewarding.
The landscape of contemporary prose has increasingly turned its focus towards the intricate psychological spaces where societal expectations collide with hidden personal truths. Behind the thin walls of mid-century, semi-detached houses lay secrets that a changing society desperately tried to whisper away. It is within this rich, thematic territory that Angela delivers an absorbing book: It’s a Thin Division.
Set against the backdrop of a housing estate in the industrial North of England, where the author grew up, the story captures the rigid social codes of the era. The tone of displacement and reinvention is beautifully evoked early on:
“The delivery van was late. It was bringing our stored furniture to the North-East of England where, they told me, the air was cold, but the people were warm and friendly, but in reality it was as far away from anyone who might have known my parents in their previous lives. It was to blot out the hedonistic lifestyle that had suited them once.”
This move to a new environment highlights the formidable obstacles women faced, showing how drastically society has changed regarding their aspirations. Angela masterfully avoids melodrama, focusing instead on the psychological realism of a deeply troubled protagonist whose internal struggles remain invisible to the outside world. At its core, the narrative serves as a genuine examination of the thin division between sanity and madness.
Indeed, the emotional impact of the narrative is laid bare by its unique origin and the extraordinary history of its creator. Whilst the book is presented as a work of fiction – a reimagining of how events could have happened – it is rooted in a true story confided to the author decades ago. For years, Angela put her own creative ambitions on hold to raise her family and care for her ageing parents, but this novel proves that it is truly never too late to fulfil a latent dream.
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, the author channelled her isolation into writing two children’s fairy tales, Love from a Distance and And Then. Lines from her children’s book, such as ‘I’m a little fairy for only you to see. / I ride around on a bumblebee’, capture a playful imagination that finally found its moment to flourish. All profits from these stories were used to fund the refurbishment of combat ambulances for Ukraine. Since then, her creative output has expanded to include poems, a developing trilogy and her debut thriller, It’s a Thin Division. Volunteering with the Ukrainian charity organisation ORANTA, Angela has successfully championed various fundraising initiatives across the Algarve. Her efforts have secured dozens of frontline rescue vehicles, earning her a Certificate of Appreciation from the Embassy of Ukraine in Lisbon and a signed flag from the special forces.
With all of this in mind, I couldn’t think of a better closing for the review than the final sentence from the book itself. Listen to the narrator’s voice:
‘What we do with our millisecond in time – no matter who we are or who is watching – makes a difference.’
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Fancy diving in? Angela Broad’s It’s a Thin Division is available worldwide. For Tomorrow readers: Amazon.co.uk (£4.99, Kindle) and Amazon.es (€14.58, paperback).
