This book is not really a mystery, but a family saga heavily oriented towards a conservative position on women and motherhood. Although for the first quarter of the book, the origin of Jane Porter's unhappiness is concealed, and once the truth about her being pushed into giving up her daughter for adoption is revealed, there is little more in the way of secrets. Incredibly the daughter is given to a childless couple in Jane's home town. So when Jane returns from New York as her mother becomes too frail to cope (even with Jane's sister, Sylvie, living in), Jane cannot resist making contact with the girl.
From then on the story is of Jane's growing relationship with her daughter, Chloe, who does not know her and Chloe's uncle, Dylan, a widowed cop. Dylan and Chloe also have family troubles. There is tension between Dylan and his brother, Chloe's adoptive father, because Dylan is restoring the family apple orchard business while his brother would prefer to sell it to developers at a profit. Still devastated by his own daughter's murder along with his estranged wife, Dylan is drawn to Jane who reciprocates his interest. Meanwhile Chloe has become so devoted to animal rights that she loses her part time job at the store for trying to put the customers off eating meat. She also has a bad experience with a boy from the city and turns unwittingly to Jane for help.
This is a book with good characters and a strong portrayal of family life.
It is particularly expert in showing how loving families can also inflict real
damage on vulnerable members. On the other hand I found the depiction of motherhood
a bit overwhelming. At root the book seems unhappy with many of the fruits of
feminism, while honest enough to admit - in the role of Margaret, the devoted
abandoned mother - that women need careers, if only to provide for their children
if a man deserts them. Certainly this is not the book in which to find validation
of women choosing to live outside marriage. However, its exploration of strong
emotions and a more or less believable ending will make it a good read for many.
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Susan Rowland