Gail Schimmel

"After a tumultuous marriage, Mary Wilson is happy in her uncomplicated life, focusing on her twelve-year-old son. She's always been content with her little family--but then she finds an old postcard that throws her whole past into question... When an invitation arrives for her high school reunion, Mary jumps at the chance of a distraction from the shock discovery, and meeting her old classmate April feels like a gift. Despite barely remembering April, Mary throws herself into the new friendship and finds her previously quiet social life reinvigorated. But as the bonds between them are forged, Mary finds herself drawn further and further into April's life and marriage, increasingly fearing that everything is not as perfect as it seems. Is her own painful past clouding her judgement, or is Mary right to suspect that the people she trusts most are the ones with the most to hide?"--

A Novel

Never Tell a Lie

From the author of The Aftermath comes the story of a whirlwind friendship--and the dark secrets lurking beneath it. After a tumultuous marriage, Mary Wilson is happy in her uncomplicated life, focusing on her twelve-year-old son. She's always been content with her little family--but then she finds an old postcard that throws her whole past into question... When an invitation arrives for her high school reunion, Mary jumps at the chance of a distraction from the shock discovery, and meeting her old classmate April feels like a gift. Despite barely remembering April, Mary throws herself into the new friendship and finds her previously quiet social life reinvigorated. But as the bonds between them are forged, Mary finds herself drawn further and further into April's life and marriage, increasingly fearing that everything is not as perfect as it seems. Is her own painful past clouding her judgement, or is Mary right to suspect that the people she trusts most are the ones with the most to hide?

Three women: a mother, a daughter, a friend. Can they save each other from the past? It's been twenty-six years since the accident, but Helen still lives on autopilot, going through the motions of work and motherhood. Her one wish is for her daughter Julia to settle down with her own family--so Helen can let go. Julia has dealt with her mother's emotional distance by looking for love in all the wrong places. But when her latest choice drives away her best friend, Claire, Julia realises she's on her own. Impossibly perfect Claire is so busy caring for everyone--even her cheating ex-husband--that she's forgotten to look after herself. Reeling from Julia's betrayal, she doesn't know who to trust. As their lives unravel, these three women reconnect in unexpected ways. But with a devastating secret still hanging over them, will they ever be able to leave the past behind? Revised edition: Previously published in South Africa as The Accident, this edition of The Aftermath includes editorial revisions.

The Aftermath

Qarnita Loxton

Amy Heydenrych

Pamela Power

Four strangers, two cities, one chance online meeting. Jess is a yummy mummy of two whose life is slowly unravelling and who has recently separated from her husband. Ginger is a happily widowed granny with a salty tongue and a wicked sense of humour. The gorgeous and sensitive Matt is an almost-qualified psychologist, who still lives with his parents. And Queenie, a librarian from Cape Town, has an absent boyfriend and a secret writing habit. What could these four strangers possibly have in common? They are all die-hard Marian Keyes fans. And when they hear that Marian is due to visit South Africa to attend a literary festival, they are all desperate to meet her. Together they come up with a mad-cap plan. Will they succeed – or will life intervene?

Chasing Marian

It's Jordi Gordan's 55th birthday and she receives, as she has for every birthday for the last fifteen years, a message from Nico. While her husband, Hal, cooks her a birthday breakfast, she cries over her message from Nico - because Jordi is a woman with a secret. During the course of the day, the reader follows Jordi around: to the traditional family breakfast and the handing out of gifts, then to a visit with her (now French-speaking and senile) elderly mother, to Thrupps for some groceries, to lunch with her best friend, the irrepressible Sally, and then home where she makes the final preparations for a business dinner party that evening (an unfortunate miscalculation of dates that has robbed her of a special night with Hal). As she goes about her preparations, we meet Jordi's friends and family - and we get to see how her life is carefully constructed to screen all of them from her secret. Slowly, Jordi begins to tell us about Nico - how she first met him and where, how they knew as soon as they met that there was something between them and how neither of them could act on it because of their marriages. For almost thirty years, she and Nico have been sidestepping each other - in London, in New York, even in Jo'burg. And at every turn we see how Jordi and Nico's lives are kept apart by Jordi's strong belief in the importance of her marriage vows. Even when she weakens and begins to indulge her fantasy of running away to be with Nico, there is always something to hold her back. As evening approaches, she puts Nico to the back of her mind and readies herself for her guests. The dinner party is a success and the atmosphere is laid back and casual. Then, while she is taking a break from the table, Jordi overhears two of her guests talking about her. Back at the table she confronts the women in an amiable kind of a way, but it becomes clear that something is not quite right. The conversation grinds to a halt before Moira, Jordi's poisonous sister-in-law, blurts out a shocking truth.

Marriage Vows

‘Little Secrets is utterly brilliant – it’s a wolf of a thriller in suburban sheep’s clothing!’ – QARNITA LOXTON, author of the much-loved ‘Being’ series Monique and Ben Klein have been married for twenty years. They both know that they didn’t get married for all the right reasons, but they’re happy with the decision they made. They have a good life in a beautiful house, with three children who they adore. It all worked out in the end. Or did it? Monique has become obsessed with being the perfect wife and mother. Her sense of self is attached to the compliments she receives from friends and relatives. From her appearance to her home to her children, nobody is allowed to see the cracks. They might be normal for other people, but not for Monique. Ben knows that he gave up on a part of himself and his dreams when he married Monique. He’s an actuary, working for a corporate, and not the artist that he longed to be. He ignores as best he can the difference in their thinking. If anyone asks, he is happy. Their daughter Rosie is struggling with her friendships and the daunting world of teenage parties. But with a strict mother like Monique, she knows that even if she gets frustrated, Monique’s rules will keep her safe. Until Ben meets Daisy. And Rosie meets Margie. And everything starts to fall apart.

Little Secrets

Since The Accident that ruined her life, Catherine has lived on autopilot, going through the motions of work and motherhood without being fully present. Trying to fill the gap, her adult daughter, Julia, is looking for love in all the wrong places, and wreaking havoc on the lives that she touches along the way. Just what will it take to shock Catherine back into life? -- Publisher's description.

Gail Schimmel

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