Infidelity (Hugh Mackay, Pan Macmillan)

Infidelity has an intriguing plot but struggles to live up to its promise. It is the story of Australian psychologist Tom Harper, whose dalliance with a patient has resulted in him surrendering his licence and taking a sabbatical on the other side of the world. In London, he begins a relationship with beautiful Englishwoman Sarah, who is unhappily married. I found some of the language in this book a little overblown, for example, descriptions of Sarah’s ‘luminous green eyes and skin of palest peach’. I also found the speed with which Tom and Sarah’s relationship develops a little ridiculous; for a professional psychologist to move in with a relative stranger, much less a married woman who has no intention of divorcing her husband, within weeks of their meeting seems exceptionally strange. Having said that, the plot is certainly interesting, and there are some lovely emotional as well as funny moments in this book. Hugh Mackay is the author of several novels and nonfiction books, including the 2013 book The Good Life: What Makes a Life Worth Living?

Jessica Broadbent is a former bookseller and a trained librarian

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Category: Reviews