Secrets of the Tides (Hannah Richell, Little, Brown)

The Tide family has fallen apart. It’s been 10 years since a sudden tragedy transformed the lives of Helen, Richard, Dora and Cassie, but no-one has been able to move on. When Dora discovers she is pregnant, she realises that in order to build a future she will need to confront the past. But this won’t be easy as each of her family members offers a different version of the truth. This is a very readable debut from UK-born, Sydney-based writer Hannah Richell, which attracted a bidding war and multiple translation deals. While some readers may dislike the way Richell repeatedly signposts key information, others will be swept away by the melodrama and the mystery. Suspense slowly builds as the narrative jumps backwards and forwards in time. The reader must piece together clues as more secrets are gradually uncovered and multiple points of view are explored. Fans of family sagas will enjoy Richell’s talent for capturing the little details (and big dilemmas) of family life, as well as the darkness and the tender and funny moments.

Lucy Stewart is a Melbourne writer and the editor of Bookseller+Publisher’s Library News

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews