The ability to write any work of fiction always fascinates me; I'm a writer, but I simply cannot fathom putting together a story that isn't based on real-world facts. And when it's as complex and entertaining as this one, I'm pretty much in awe. Having enjoyed another of the author's books, Watching Edie, I was delighted at the chance to get my eyes on an advance copy of this one to review. Now that I've finished, my opinion is that it's the better of the two. And that means it's pretty darn good.
Totally plausible? For the most part, no, but it matters not to me; there was suspense in nearly every chapter that kept me riveted to the point that with a quarter of the book left to finish, I kept on going even as my favorite college football team was in serious danger of losing an expected win. Even the chapters that alternate between two different time frames and different sets of characters - normally a bit off-putting to me - were so well written that I can't complain.
This one begins with a shocker from 1986 (conjuring up visions of the grisly offer-you-can't-refuse scene from "The Godfather"), setting the stage for Beth and Doug, who finally got the baby they'd longed for: a daughter they named Hannah. But try as they might, they can't get Hannah to respond to their caring efforts. Clearly, something is dreadfully - and dangerously - wrong with the child. Nothing they do helps, and they're now living in fear of what she might do next to them (and especially to Hannah's younger brother, Toby) or anyone else with whom she comes in contact in Cambridgeshire, England.
Then it's on to London in 2017, when Clara's live-in lover Luke fails to return home one night. Threatening emails turn up on Luke's computer - it seems he's been the target of an unknown, and potentially vicious, stalker for quite some time. Luke's parents, both retired professionals, are still grieving over the loss of their daughter (Luke's older sister), who inexplicably left home when he was 10 years old, never to be heard from again. They've still got Luke's older brother, Tom, but he's got plenty of baggage that keeps him emotionally separated from his parents. Now, they all must deal with the possible loss of yet another grown child.
The two stories - efforts by Clara, Luke's friend Mac and the police and those of Hannah's parents to understand and deal with her out-of-control behavior - run concurrently for much of the book. As most readers would expect, however, the two will converge at some point; they do, as little by little new insights (and a ton of secrets in both scenarios) are revealed, coming together in an ending that is at once satisfying and unsettling.
My own conclusion? Definitely worth reading!
The Lies We Told by Camilla Way (Berkley, October 2018); 336 pp.
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