A tragic accident? Or suicide?
Her grief-stricken husband, Adrian, is determined to find out.
Maya had a job she enjoyed; she had friends. They’d been in love.
She even got on with his two previous wives and their children. In fact, they’d all been one big happy family.
But before long Adrian starts to identify the dark cracks in his perfect life.
Because everyone has secrets.
And secrets have consequences.
Some of which can be devastating…
Review: first of all can I say how much I love the cover of this book, I actually began reading this book on kindle and then the lovely people at Random House gave me a hardback copy and I just couldn't stop stroking it, and the wonderful thing is that it gives absolutely nothing away about what is in the book-fantastic!
I honestly don't know how Lisa Jewell manages to come up with so many different and original ideas for novels, it's amazing, just when you are looking for something different, that will challenge your ideas, something entirely unpredictable, along she comes with something fantastically different...just like this book! The moment I began reading this book I was hooked right in and couldn't put it down. I read it before work at my desk, in bed at night, in the garden when I should've been unpacking, over lunch, whenever I could grab a spare minute. It has drama and intrigue and mystery and yet not too much of any one of these things just the perfect amount of balance. Now I am not normally a fan of too much mystery in a book but I found myself so drawn into the case of Maya and the questions surrounding her death that I was willing to book to give me more, just enough to keep me satisfied for now, not enough to spoil the mystery altogether, and that is exactly what it did.
Adrian is the main character in this novel, he is the guy with the three wives, his children play an integral part in the novel too, as do his wives and another mystery woman. As a main character, I wouldn't say he is entirely likeable. He wants to be liked and thinks he is liked and is making everybody happy when Infact he is not. I found him very hard to get on with, but that didn't take away anything from the story for me. He spends a lot of time contemplating his own existence when really, he has five kids, he should be more involved in all of their lives. He should be able to see how he has affected each of his three wives and he should be moving on with his life with due care and attention to those around him. He is an interesting character though and the lynchpin that holds the whole book together.
The other characters in this novel are a lovely mismatch of children and wives and yet somehow they all fit together and the story wouldn't not be the same if even one of them were removed. I really like the fact that each of the other characters have their own secret as well and all their secrets come to fruition in some beautiful, quite heartbreaking letters at the end if the novel. The settings covered I this novel provide additional characters to the storyline. Maya and Adrian's flat, Caroline's Islington Townhouse and Susie's cottage in hove. They are all beautifully described and as a reader, you felt like you yourself were moving between each of the dwellings with Adrian and his children. I loved the sound of all of them to be honest.
One of the best things about this novel is that I think it will appeal to such a wide audience. It isn't overly romantic or sentimental and so those who aren't normally fans of 'women's fiction' would be able to take a great deal from this book. There is enough mystery for fans of that genre and yet not so much that it puts people like me off. The writing is beautiful and the storyline so well constructed that you will be able to loose yourself in this world. If this is your first Lisa Jewell novel then you are in for a treat and if you are already a fan of this fabulous author then you definitely won't be disappointed, this needs to be your next read!
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