Peter Stone seems like an ordinary man, but he’s harbouring a dark secret.
Why must he suddenly return to England, following a mysterious phone call in the middle of the night? His partner Martha suspects there’s another woman. The truth is worse than she could ever have imagined.
And Peter’s not the only one with a secret.
Unfolding across different times and different places, Peter Stone explores the burden of the past and the complexity and fragility of human relationships.
‘Various individuals’ stories are woven together to show how lifetime experiences shape the present. The consideration of childhood experiences, the clear-eyed description of adolescent anxieties and behaviours, and the fears of the elderly are all beautifully described, within the context of family and inability to communicate. There is much more to this novel, but I don’t want to say too much. Despite it being a reasonably short novel, the themes are carefully considered in lucid prose that is delight to read. A particular pleasure for this Australian reader is that it is set in her home town.’ Jay Ay
Alison Knight, Author. 