Tuesday 19 July 2016

The Judge's Wife - Ann O'Loughlin








Can a love last forever?

When Emma returns to Dublin to put her estranged father’s affairs in order, she begins to piece together the story of his life and that of Grace, the mother she never knew. She knows her father as the judge – as stern and distant at home as he was in the courtroom. But as she goes through his personal effects, Emma begins to find clues about her mother that shock her profoundly.
A tale of enduring love and scandal that begins in 1950s Dublin and unravels across decades and continents, digging up long-buried family secrets along the way, The Judge’s Wife asks whether love really can last forever.

What I thought:

I really couldn't wait to read this book. Although I hadn't read anything by this author before, there was something about The Judge's Wife that instantly caught my eye and I wasn't disappointed. I'm not normally a very fast reader but I literally devoured this.  

The book follows Emma, who returns home after her father's death and discovers the real truth about her childhood. "Oh yes," I hear you say, "I've read that before!" "Oh no," I reply, "You haven't read anything like this before!" The story is told both in the present, which is the 1980s and in the past, which is the 1950s. Initially, I found myself getting lost, not knowing which period I was reading about, but I was soon back on track and this in no way detracted from the enjoyment of this novel - it really is superb, totally and utterly compelling. The storyline is very thought provoking and I found it quite disturbing at times, but it was still unputdownable. I assume it's fictional but based on what could and probably did happen to many unfortunate individuals. There is so much to tell about this enthralling tale of love and deception but I don't want to spoil the shock and surprise you get as you go from page to page.

Although very sad, the story is also uplifting and was an absolute pleasure to read. I thoroughly recommend this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

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