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First of all, let me just say ‘wow�! The book’s blurb does in no way prepare you for the sheer power of this story.

For some weird reason, the publishers have labelled Agatha Christie’s 6 Mary Westmacott novels as ‘romance�, just because they don’t feature any murder, when in fact they are taut psychological dramas. Our favourite author uses all her skills not only in portraying complex personalities at a crux in their lives but in setting scenes that progressively become tenser. After the first couple of chapters, I became totally engrossed in the narration, and couldn’t stop, even feeling breathless at some points.

The story seems innocuous at first: a middle-aged woman falls in love but her nineteen-year old daughter does not accept the new suitor and does everything to impede the match. Seems straightforward and yet, Christie crafts this with so much power and skill, showing us these different personalities and perceptions, and the effects and deep-reaching consequences of each’s decisions. Somehow, even though set in the 1950s, this felt ‘modern� or rather timeless since having human nature at its core. The author surprised me even more with her creation of a truly despicable predator - somehow you never correlate Christie with this type and yet, here she concocts a perfect amalgam of suavity and depravity!

Call me impressed!!!!