This is the first title I’ve read by this author but it will not be the last – she weaves a compelling and complex story with many twists and turns, making you part of this interconnected family drama.
The book tells two simultaneous stories, one that takes place in the past and the other in present day. I assumed they would have to interlink at some point but it does not become obvious how the two are related until the author peels back all of the layers in her own time.
For me this book has it all: intrigue, romance, multi-generational family drama and complex characters. The first person we meet is Rita, a young woman from coastal England who has just gotten a job as a nanny with the wealthy Harrington family in London. After a series of misfortunes, the mother and children are moved to their isolated and somewhat dilapidated country house, Foxcote Manor. Rita, who has come to form a strong bond with the children, is convinced to go along.
Meanwhile, in present day, Sylvie has just moved into a London flat after the end of her 20 year marriage. While her teenage daughter is visiting Sylvie’s mother at the seaside, there is a terrible accident and Sylvie’s mother ends up in a coma.
Back at Foxcote Manor, a baby is discovered in the woods. There’s no note and no indication where she came from. The Harringtons take the baby in and care for her as if she were their own, with Rita becoming her surrogate mother despite her conviction that she must tell the authorities. Before she has a chance, however, a body is discovered in the woods and many well kept secrets are dragged out into the light.
The narrative weaves seamlessly between past and present and though the ending is far from being predictable it does satisfyingly tie up loose ends which I appreciated. I am not a fan of cliffhangers or unresolved endings unless it is really necessary to the plot.
I devoured this book over the course of three days in Ireland where it poured rain monotonously. It would make a great autumn read when the days are shorter and the skies greyer (not unlike most of this past summer) to add to its dark and mysterious undertones.
The revelations in this book are presented in a slow and tantalizing manner and you will not see them coming. To me it’s exactly the type of story that should be made into a movie, perfect for that Netflix do-over.
