Marion Pauw

Iris Kastelein, part-time lawyer in an established firm and mother of a three-year-old “difficult” son, makes a startling discovery in the course of her work with one of the firm’s clients. As Iris investigates, she finds more questions than answers, and, despite her mother’s repeated requests for her to stop probing into the background of the man she’s just discovered is her half-brother, she continues to search for answers. Will her search gain her the information she needs or is she risking everything for the truth?

Told by Ray and Iris in alternate chapters, the story unfolds slowly. The characters are well-defined and the chapters with Ray offer a strong sense of place. Iris’s frustration with Aaron is a bit more difficult to understand; his issues are obvious and readers may wonder why Iris never consults his pediatrician about them. The big plot twist reveal near the end of the book feels rather contrived; astute readers will figure it out long before it occurs.

Translated from the original Dutch by Hester Velmans, the story is well-told and compelling despite a translation that sometimes seems a bit stilted.

Recommended.… (lisätietoja)