Biographer Rona Parish (Brought to Book, 2003, etc.) is finishing up a series of articles when a chance meeting fills her quiet life with danger.
Zara Crane, an adopted child unconcerned with her biological parents until she became pregnant, approaches Rona and her artist husband Max Allerdyce at a party. She’s discovered that her mother, Gemma Grant, had been murdered, possibly by Zara’s biological father. Rona is reluctant but finally agrees to give the project six weeks if she can write about her findings. Gemma, a junior reporter for a radio station, had been rooming with Selina O’Toole, now a well-known London-based correspondent. Using the code name Morrison for her lover, Gemma claimed he emigrated to Australia without knowing she was pregnant. Rona is disconcerted to find that among Gemma’s former boyfriends are Jonathan Hurst, her twin Lindsey’s current lover, and Phillip Yarborough, whose wife is takes painting classes with Max. Max, who suspects Phillip of spousal abuse, is busy working on a portrait of politician James Latymer, and Rona doesn’t want to mention the threatening phone calls and e-mails she’s received since a news story about her search, and her fears intensify when Selina is pushed in front of a bus.
Clear your calendar: Sympathetic characters draw you in to an absorbing search that keeps you guessing until the last chapter.
