These two novels deal with the aftermath of situations that had caught (fictional) media attention told from the point of view of a woman who tried to do her best. In the first, a political scandal has led to the titular Chief Executive’s early retirement; in the second, an abducted girl is returned to her mother. Of course, the aftermath isn’t quite as the protagonists expect.
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The Former Chief Executive by Kate Vane
Having retired from her post as chief executive of an NHS Trust following a scandal, Deborah has tried to rebuild her life in a new town. With the recent death of her husband, starting afresh has become more difficult than expected, but at least she needn’t worry about the garden now Luca’s agreed to take it on.
The young man’s also trying to reinvent himself, using the meditation and active listening skills he gained in prison. This gives him common ground with Deborah’s busybody next door neighbour, Maureen, and later with Deborah’s kidult daughter who arrives for an extended stay.
With convincing characters and perfect pacing, I warmed to this book from the start. The prose is delightfully unfussy, with witty and carefully-chosen metaphors, for example (p. 148):
She didn’t want to prompt the doctor. She knew that like stage psychics they were all too keen to take cues from their audience.
Kate Vane so credibly portrays the setting, I could easily imagine stepping out of my house into Deborah’s garden instead of my own. The plot intrigued me, especially Deborah’s back story slightly reminiscent of Sharon Shoesmith’s scapegoating following the tragic death of Baby P. Although I enjoyed the surprising climax, I found the ending overly rushed. Nevertheless, an intelligent and entertaining read, well worth your time.
The young man’s also trying to reinvent himself, using the meditation and active listening skills he gained in prison. This gives him common ground with Deborah’s busybody next door neighbour, Maureen, and later with Deborah’s kidult daughter who arrives for an extended stay.
With convincing characters and perfect pacing, I warmed to this book from the start. The prose is delightfully unfussy, with witty and carefully-chosen metaphors, for example (p. 148):
She didn’t want to prompt the doctor. She knew that like stage psychics they were all too keen to take cues from their audience.
Kate Vane so credibly portrays the setting, I could easily imagine stepping out of my house into Deborah’s garden instead of my own. The plot intrigued me, especially Deborah’s back story slightly reminiscent of Sharon Shoesmith’s scapegoating following the tragic death of Baby P. Although I enjoyed the surprising climax, I found the ending overly rushed. Nevertheless, an intelligent and entertaining read, well worth your time.
Little White Lies by Philippa East
When her eight-year-old daughter went missing, Anne White, and her husband, Robert, could only dream of the day she'd be found. But when she turns up, seven years later, the reunion is nothing like she expected. Is Abigail just an ordinary moody teenager or is she traumatised by her incarceration in ways she can't put into words? Or is there another reason for the lack of connection between mother and daughter, something Anne has never told her husband? Never told the police.
Meanwhile, the rest of the family are delighted to have Abigail back. Yet she's not as patient as she might be with her twin brothers, only babies when she disappeared. Jess, her cousin who's been more like a twin sister, is sure she understands Abigail the most. But there's a part of Jess still stuck in single digits, unable to accept how much her cousin has changed.
A classic page-turner that keeps the reader guessing, I enjoyed Philippa East's debut particularly for its handling the early attachment issues contributing to Abigail's suspicions. Like another recent read from a fellow clinical psychologist, A Good Enough Mother, the psychological themes don't detract from the storytelling. There's also a convincing portrayal of a fictional therapist although, as Abigail isn't a point of view character, the therapist appears in only a couple of scenes. It also reminds me of Whistle in the Dark, about the difficult dynamics of reunion with an unresponsive teenager, this time when the daughter has been missing for only four days.
Published earlier this year by HarperCollins, I bought my own copy. If you're interested in the themes of mothers and daughters, you'll find a particularly explosive story in my free collection:
Meanwhile, the rest of the family are delighted to have Abigail back. Yet she's not as patient as she might be with her twin brothers, only babies when she disappeared. Jess, her cousin who's been more like a twin sister, is sure she understands Abigail the most. But there's a part of Jess still stuck in single digits, unable to accept how much her cousin has changed.
A classic page-turner that keeps the reader guessing, I enjoyed Philippa East's debut particularly for its handling the early attachment issues contributing to Abigail's suspicions. Like another recent read from a fellow clinical psychologist, A Good Enough Mother, the psychological themes don't detract from the storytelling. There's also a convincing portrayal of a fictional therapist although, as Abigail isn't a point of view character, the therapist appears in only a couple of scenes. It also reminds me of Whistle in the Dark, about the difficult dynamics of reunion with an unresponsive teenager, this time when the daughter has been missing for only four days.
Published earlier this year by HarperCollins, I bought my own copy. If you're interested in the themes of mothers and daughters, you'll find a particularly explosive story in my free collection:
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