Riveting, gripping, and psychologically nuanced…
Replete with drama and taut with suspense, this splendid, beautifully written tale by Spence explores relationships, family ties, and the sudden, destructive power, the long-buried secrets and lies hold on enduring bonds and evolving relationships. After her mother’s death, ten-year-old Maelle Woolley has spent her time among nature on her grandparents’ commune. Now a grown-up woman, Maelle is content pursuing her career of a botanist. But when the enigmatic Zachary Kane, a research psychiatrist, enters Maelle’s life, disturbing old secrets resurface, threatening to unravel Maelle’s seemingly content life. Spence is an expert when it comes to mapping the troubled family dynamics, which she does with relative ease as family bonds stretch to a breaking point. The characters, including major and minor are sketched with skill and perception, and their backstories adeptly evoked. Maelle’s journey of getting to the truth of her parents’ death is moving as she struggles to redefine herself in the wake of disturbing secrets. Poignant and emotionally rich, this is a winner.
Joyous Lies
By Margaret Ann Spence
The Wild Rose Press
Pub date February 15, 2021
ASIN B08RYB34FN
Price $5.99 (USD) Kindle edition, $18.99 Paperback