The Hidden Hours

Twenty-one year old Eleanor Brennan has recently arrived in London from Australia and is living with her Uncle Ian, Aunt Susan and their two young daughters.

Susan is the CEO of Parker & Lane, a major publishing house, and she gets Eleanor a temp job there working for Nathan Lane, the obnoxious husband of the "elegant, graceful" Arabella, a marketing and publicity executive whose "laugh can make you smile even when you haven't heard the conversation."
 
On the morning after the firm’s Christmas party, Arabella’s body is found floating in the Thames near Waterloo Bridge. Eleanor is horrified when she realises she may have witnessed what happened to her. Only she can’t remember a thing, other than being vaguely aware she had spent some time with Arabella the evening before and that Arabella may have spiked her drink. When Eleanor later discovers Arabella’s ring in her bag she is even more distraught, but terrified to go to the police in case they suspect her.
 
This is a novel full of psychological twists and turns. Initially, it is about the murder of Arabella then progressively includes flashbacks to Eleanor’s childhood in the Australian bush and a time when her once-secure family began to crack at the seams before finally breaking apart.
 
The plotting is excellent and it keeps you guessing as suspicions ebb and flow. Although some of the characters are self-serving and unpleasant, it is well-balanced with others who are far more likeable. Unlike other thrillers, there are no truly evil people here, just those whose foolishness or uncontrolled passions push them into actions from which there is no escape. As one character observes, it is not hate, but love, that "is part of the problem".
 
There are times when Eleanor’s reluctance to reveal all to the police while trusting others makes you feel like giving her a good shake but as her past is slowly unravelled and you realise where she is coming from, you have to feel more compassionate towards her. The ending feels just a bit rushed with a few questions unanswered, but overall this is a most satisfying read and it genuinely did keep me up reading into the small hours.

4 1/2 stars.
 
With many thanks to Simon & Schuster Australia and NetGalley for the ARC.

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Booktopia

---