Books Set in Australia; Melbourne

The Family Next Door, by Sally Hepworth (2018)

How well do you know the family next door?  That is the premise of this novel.  The novel focuses on a few neighbors in a quiet suburban neighborhood of Melbourne, Australia.  Essie and Ben seem to have the ideal life.  Angie and Lucas seem happy, as do Fran and Nigel.  All have young children.  When Isabelle moves into a house in the neighborhood, suddenly secrets come out.

Why is Isabelle, who is unmarried and has no children of her own, so interested in the children of her neighbors.  Does she really have a job?  Why is she so interested in Essie?

After the birth of her first child, Essie, suffering from post-partum depression left her newborn in a park for several hours.  After a stint in a psychiatric hospital, she returned to Ben, and they had a second child.  Essie’s mother moved nearby to help with the children.  Angie and Lucas appear to the outside world as a happy couple, despite Lucas’ past affairs.  Can Angie really put his past behind her?  Nigel is a loving father, but will his depression cause a rift in his marriage to Fran.  Do we really care?

As the novel moves forward, we learn the secrets of the neighbors, but ultimately, their lives are not really all that revealing or satisfying.  After having read Sally Hepworth’s novel, The Mother-in-Law, my expectations were high, and this book didn’t meet my expectations.

Read:  March 10, 2022

3 Stars

Books Set in Australia

The Mother-in-Law, by Sally Hepworth (2019)

 

The novel begins with the death of Diane Goodwin, the title’s mother-in-law.  She was mother to Ollie and Nettie and mother-in-law to Lucy.  Diana’s death appeared to be a suicide, but certain evidence caused the police to investigate.  Why was a suicide note left in a drawer, and not out where it would immediately be discovered?  Where did those mysterious gold threads come from, and why is there only one pillow in the sofa?  Diana was very rich, so there is motive and opportunity for foul play.

 

Lucy lost her mother when she was 13-years old, so she had hoped to be able to establish a warm and loving relationship with her mother-in-law.  Diana, however, does not have the warmest personality and keeps her thoughts and feelings to herself.  Even her friends do not really know Diana.  Thus, Lucy’s relationship with Diana is strained.

 

The novel goes back and forth in time and between Lucy and Diana.  Lucy and Ollie have what seems to be a perfect marriage.  They have three young children, Lucy is a stay-at-home mother who supports her husband’s business ventures.  Lucy is not keen on Ollie’s business partner, but believes in her husband.

 

Lucy and her mother-in-law have a strained relationship.  Lucy seemingly can do anything to please her mother-in-law.  From Diana’s voice, we learn that she had a very traumatic experience in her early years that shaped her ability to interact with others.  Diana worked hard to achieve her goals and believes that her children should do the same.

 

As we delve into the novel, we discover that each family member has secrets.  Nettie is desperate to have a child and is willing to do anything to have a baby.  All she needs is money.  Patrick, Nellie’s husband has secrets he is keeping from his wife.  Ollie’s business is not doing as well as he leads Lucy to believe.  All he needs is money.  Lucy has her own secrets.

 

This book has some wonderful twists and turns, that kept me guessing right to the end.  The conclusion of the novel did not disappoint.  I read it in one sitting.

 

5 Stars

 

Read:  February 27, 2022