“The tentacles of fate and coincidence”.

I’ve read this author’s previous books (which were a connected trilogy) and enjoyed them very much. Therefore, I was eager to try her latest stand-alone novel. I was not disappointed.

The entire book took place during one day and moved along at a brisk pace despite that. Nadine Walsh was an interesting protagonist, and not entirely likeable. Yet… I was riveted by her story. Born to a single mother, a latchkey kid, her world was completely turned around when her mother became famous.

Nadine is throwing a 60th birthday party for her famous mother, M, who is a renowned crime novelist. She is wealthy due to the fact that her mother gives her a cut of her royalties. She is married to a lawyer, Paul. Nadine is the mother of two teenagers and tends to be quite a ‘helicopter parent’. She is always fearing the worst, and has quite an OCD thing going on which she displays by writing copious lists, both for herself and her family members. Also living in Nadine’s home is Margot, her niece, who helps out with running the household since Nadine was incapacitated due to illness.

Nadine has several skeletons in her closet, and on the day of the party they all come tumbling out. An unscrupulous journalist, some shady neighbours, and a comatose teenager all play a part.

This is a domestic thriller with themes of loyalty and family secrets. Mostly though, it explores just how far someone will go to protect those they love.

Highly recommended!This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Simon & Schuster  via Edelweiss.

ISBN: 9781668009109    ASIN: ‎‎  ‎ B0B3YB1766    304 pages

Amy Stuart won the 2011 Writers’ Union of Canada Short Prose Competition for Developing Writers, and was a finalist for the 2012 Vanderbilt/Exile Award. She is a recent masters’ graduate from the University of British Columbia. Amy was born in Toronto where she still lives with her husband and their three sons. She is an educator with many years of high school teaching under her belt. Aside from writing, she loves hockey. Ice hockey.

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