Something To Hide, by Deborah Moggach
Published by Chatto & Windus, 2nd July 2015
Genres: Contemporary fiction
Format: Hardback
Source: Borrowed (library)
Synopsis
Petra’s love life has always been a bit of a disaster and now, in her sixties, she is becoming increasingly lonely. Until she falls in love with Jeremy that is. Jeremy is an old friend, visiting from abroad, and they quickly fall for one another. The only problem is that Jeremy is Petra’s best friend’s husband. Just as everything seems set for Petra’s happily-ever-after, tragedy strikes and she finds herself on a plane to West Africa, on her way to support Bev, who she has been betraying so terribly.
Meanwhile, on opposite sides of the world, two other women are struggling with their own secrets and betrayals. In Texas, Lorrie is desperate to hide her secret from her husband, and she is prepared to do anything to cover it up, including the biggest deception of her life. In China, Li-Jing is living in a golden cage and has no idea what her husband does in his business in Africa and what he is planning.
It turns out that no matter where you are in the world, everyone has something to hide.
My thoughts
I really enjoyed this book, it felt like I was given a window into other people’s lives. There is always a sense that you cannot truly know what is going on behind closed doors or under the surface in someone else’s life. And that fact is brought to life brilliantly in this book.
I loved the different stories which collided and converged in different ways. And I particularly enjoyed that the focus was on the female characters. Yes, Jeremy is important in that he brings love back into Petra’s life, and Li-Jing’s husband is the reason she has this life today, but they are not the focal points of the story.
Moggach’s writing style was also really pleasant to read, with short chapters that kept the pace of the story flowing. I haven’t read any of her other books, but I think I will be picking some up in future. And I know they say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but this cover is just so beautiful and it caught my eye immediately!
My rating: 4/5