Jane and Leon are married with two small children. He is a fairly successful author, she is an aspiring one. The marriage is happy, and other than for small ups and downs the average family.
When Leon is faced with a confrontation with his neighbour Lawrence and is subsequently found injured, and badly bleeding while Jane was inside the house fetching a beer the whole scenario changes. Leon was attacked with an implement which had only Jane and Leon's fingerprints on it the whole attitude of the police changes with Jane being a major suspect.
While Leon is seriously injured and his whole life has changed, Jane is faced with upheaval after upheaval. After having left all financial decisions and planning to her husband and taking a backseat where money is concerned, she now finds herself locked out of their accounts, no money in the bank, having to take decisions and charter a course for survival for not just her and her two children but also for Leon who is now like the third child in the marriage.
Leon's recovery is going to be slow but he is unlikely to become the man he was before. The Leon that Jane knew and loved is gone and she has to come to terms with this new man, whom she does not quite like or trust anymore.
A story of how fickle life can be, how it change in an instant, betrayal by friends and at the same time how many of us cannot live in isolation however independent we may be. Extended family and friends are needed in times of crisis.
A good story. Well told.
Sent to me by Netgalley for an unbiased review, courtesy of Grove Atlantic.
Certainly sounds good, Mystica. Especially the way the Jane-Leon relationship pans out in the end.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like it's full of tension.
ReplyDelete