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Library | Shelf Number | Material Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Prince Edward Library | LAYT TH | English Fiction | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Brilliant psychological suspense, in the Barbara Vine school. Cass Evesham, one of the rare women traders, has a shocking weekend, in every sense. Her lover ends their affair in a particularly brutal fashion, and the press besiege her with the news that the grandmother whom she thought dead, is a celebrated murderess, just released on parole. Livia Claughton, now in a safe house under an assumed name, finds it difficult to accept help from those who can't imagine the horror of 25 years in prison - long punishment for a very different crime from the one for which she was convicted. Julia, actress daughter of the famous singer killed in her prime, is determined to restart her flagging career - and feed her hatred - by starring in a theatre season featuring plays of revenge - the publicity could hardly be greater. All three women have to come to terms with their pasts, their families and their futures - and Cass above all must discover if an instinct for violence is a genetic inheritance. The pace is swift, the characters complex, fascinating and credible, and the situations compelling and all too convincing.
Author Notes
Clare Layton lives in London. She also writes crime novels under the name, Natasha Cooper.
Reviews (1)
Publisher's Weekly Review
This gripping page-turner from British crime novelist Layton (aka Natasha Cooper), the first under her real name, explores the themes of violence, revenge and forgiveness as they affect London stockbroker Cass Evesham and her family. Thanks to her skill and determination, Cass appears to have finally achieved success and recognition in a male-dominated firm when her world is shattered. First, her married boyfriend dumps her, then she learns that her thought-to-be-dead grandmother, Livia, has just been released from prison after serving 25 years for the murder of Cass's grandfather and his lover. Why didn't her mother tell her the truth instead of fabricating the lie that her grandparents were killed in an accident? Why did her grandmother commit such a heinous act? Was her grandmother mad, as some speculated at the time, and could the madness be hereditary? In her search for the answers to these questions, Cass uncovers painful truths about her family and suffers with admirable strength the taunts of the press, gossip and innuendoes at work, as well as the loss of important clients. Layton's insightful and provocative portrait of Livia's existence in prison and the life she leads after her release as she and Cass try to reconnect will engage and touch the reader. While this may not appeal to fans of traditional mysteries, memorable characters and an engrossing plot make this a first-rate psychological thriller. (Aug. 22) FYI: In 2000 Layton served as chairman of the British Crime Writers Association. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved