Secrets and Shadows (by Mary Nickson)

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I have been thoroughly enjoying re-reading Mary Sheepshanks’ novels - four of them in that name, and two in her alternative name of Mary Nickson. I’ve just finished re-reading ‘Secrets and Shadows’, written under the latter name. It’s a sequel to ‘Off Balance’ which I re-read in January, and I remember being delighted to discover this when I first read ‘Secrets and Shadows’ nearly twelve years ago.

This book takes place about six years after the end of ‘Off Balance’. Giles and Isabel have established an arts centre connected with their large home, and run regular writing retreats. As the story starts, one of this is about to begin, and the bulk of the story follows the participants as they start to explore their talents (or otherwise) and get to know each other.

One of the writing group is Marnie, a prickly young American woman who is on a quest to discover something in Scotland. We already know something about her when we meet her; the first chapters introduce her as a young child, neglected by her mother, when she meets and becomes friendly with an elderly lady called Luciana. Twenty years later we quickly learn that Luciana left her some clues to what she called a treasure hunt, and also a great deal of money.

Then there’s Louisa, a young woman of similar age, who is related to Isabel. She’s bright and very friendly, but there’s clearly something not quite right. She’s broken up with her likeable (but dull) boyfriend, but doesn’t know what she wants. It becomes increasingly clear as the novel progresses that all is not well with Louisa; and she is contrasted strongly with Marnie, although the two manage to become friendly.

Christopher is a personable young man who has a secret; again we learn fairly soon what it is, but he’s been through a very rough time, and has also recently ended a relationship. He is quite serious about writing and hopes to learn whether or not he has any talent. He doesn’t expect to find two attractive young women who both take a shine to him…

The other writing group participants are more caricatured. There’s one married couple: the husband is self-centred and arrogant; he’s had some writing published and thinks he is much more advanced than the rest of the group. His long-suffering wife is regularly put down by him, but she has done some writing too… and gradually emerges as a likeable, if rather flat character.

Then there’s a woman who’s passionate about gardening, a military man, and a woman who runs a shop. They are different enough that I could easily distinguish them, and they add some flavour and background to the group and the various subplots, but they’re not particularly significant.

Meanwhile Isabel and Giles have a visiting small boy, Rory, who is Isabel’s nephew… and they quickly realise that her sister Lorna is, once again, trying to destroy their marriage. This storyline is a good sideline to the main plot, which involves Marnie’s search and the gradual uncovering of other people’s secrets. Isabel is a very three-dimensional, believable person and I did find myself feeling a tad sorry for Lorna towards the end; she’s quite nasty, but it’s partly a result of her childhood, knowing that no matter how hard she tried, people liked her younger sister better.

I have to admit that, in places, the writing is a bit wordy. I skimmed a few of the descriptions of scenery, and skipped over a couple of authorial comments and one or two excesses of introspection. But they’re so minor that I don’t think I noticed them the first time I read the book, and they certainly didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this excellent novel.

Very highly recommended if you like women’s fiction, but It’s best if read after ‘Off Balance’. Sometimes available second-hand, or in Kindle form.

Review copyright 2020 Sue's Book Reviews