We’re finally getting seasonal weather, at least for a few more days, and I’m loving the cool mornings and comfortably mild afternoons that we’re experiencing this weekend, complete with lots of sun and a pleasant breeze. It’s the kind of weather that is perfect for enjoying a warm beverage, and that’s exactly what I’m doing right now, enjoying a steaming cup of chai, freshly baked Date Bread and a Date Bar from City Cafe (I’m really spoiling myself today!).
And speaking of spoiling myself with extra treats, I was thrilled last weekend to pick up the new Michael Robotham mystery, The Secrets She Keeps, which I devoured in four days. Everyone has secrets, right? Some are small, trivial things that are merely embarrassing, and some are big, life-changing secrets that are best kept hidden. But what if your secret could significantly affect, even ruin, another person’s life? Told from alternating points of view, this novel tells the stories of Meghan and Agatha, two women in London whose paths cross occasionally, or so Meghan thinks. Agatha is secretly obsessed with Meghan and her seemingly perfect life, and orchestrates “accidental” meetings in order to get closer to her. But what motivates her to do this? Both women have secrets, and this novel slowly reveals these secrets to us as we delve further and further into each woman’s past life and present circumstances, until these secrets threaten to surface, with the potential to destroy one or both of their lives. In his characteristic excellence, Robotham weaves together a tapestry of psychology and emotions to create a rich and full depiction of victim and criminal, and illustrates how one can be both at the same time. According to the author’s own note at the beginning of the book, this is his most ambitious work, writing in parallel voices of two women, both in their late thirties, and who are both pregnant. I think he did an amazing job, writing convincingly from both women’s perspectives, demonstrating what a versatile and talented writer he really is (if you’ve read any of his other books, you already know this!). This, like Life or Death, is a standalone novel, and it was a fabulous read, keeping me turning pages until the very end. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys psychological mysteries.
That’s all for today. Get outside and enjoy the fabulous weather!
Bye for now…
Julie
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