Toby Hennessy is a man defined by luck and privilege until a brutal home invasion leaves him physically broken and mentally fragile. To recover, he moves into his ancestral family home, the Ivy House, to care for his dying uncle, Hugo. While there, a human skull is discovered tucked inside the hollow of a massive wych elm in the garden. As detectives investigate the remains, Toby is forced to re-examine his own history and his cousins’ childhood secrets. His unreliable memory makes him question whether his past was as charmed as he believed or if he played a role in a forgotten crime.
Readers who value psychological realism and slow-burning tension will find this a stark examination of how blind spots in one’s own life can hide malice. It appeals to those interested in the mechanics of memory and the way trauma alters a person's sense of self. The reader walks away with an understanding of how social status obscures objective truth and how quickly a stable identity can dissolve when confronted with physical vulnerability and hidden domestic truths.
Balanced in tone; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2018
- Language
- EN
