Rosie Walsh

Kirkus: A husband learns his wife is hiding a secret life.

Emma and Leo have been happily married for seven years, although they’ve weathered their share of struggles (such as infertility and Emma’s cancer diagnosis). Emma’s a marine ecologist and erstwhile TV presenter whose bubbly personality is loved by all, while Leo is an obituary writer and his wife’s No. 1 fan. Both are head over heels for their young daughter, Ruby. Although Emma’s currently doing well, Leo is given the job of prewriting her obituary, a common strategy with people who are in the public eye. In his quest to write the perfect tribute to his wife, he starts looking into her past and discovers a few inconsistencies he can’t explain. Why did Emma lie about her university degree? Why is she so cagey about her life before Leo? How is she connected to a famous actress who just went missing? And, most importantly, is her name even Emma? As Emma attempts to cover up her secrets, Leo digs through their house for clues and tracks down people from her past in an attempt to figure out why she’s lying and what she’s hiding from him. The old life Emma tried so carefully to hide threatens to destroy the new life she’s built with Leo. Walsh masterfully shows both Emma’s and Leo’s points of view while maintaining an intoxicating air of mystery. As readers get to know them both, it seems unbelievable that lovable Emma could be deceiving Leo…but how else to explain the secrets he’s uncovering? The big reveal about Emma’s life manages to be both surprising and heartbreaking, with many twists and turns along the way.

A propulsive thriller with heart that will keep readers guessing.… (lisätietoja)

Emma’s life is a lie. It didn’t start out that way, but she allowed it to morph into a life bound by secrets. She has a past she has concealed from everyone, including her husband, but eventually, all secrets have a way of unraveling and revealing themselves. Filled with twists all along the way, it seems this story can’t quite decide if it’s a mystery or a romance. And perhaps, that’s what makes it a bit a both. Some things are not neatly resolved, but then, some things in real life are not, either. The story is an intriguing one, and if the characters are not all that likable, they are interesting. Readers may not consider this story to be a memorable one, but I doubt that there are many who don’t finish it.… (lisätietoja)