This story opens as two women who live in the gated community of Apple Tree Creek bond over their less-than-perfect marriages.
Gertie’s husband, Ed, announces he’s accepted a transfer to Singapore and will be leaving her with their three children. Meanwhile recruitment agency owner Rachael is pregnant but that hasn’t stopped her husband Sam – a former Olympic swim champion – from confessing he’s cheated on her again.
When one of the husbands is attacked, security confirms there were no outsiders in the estate that night. So who was responsible?
This was a cleverly plotted story which left clues for several suspects and motives. With plenty of family drama and intrigue, it was easy to get invested in the characters and their outcomes.
After a phone call one night, Aisha leaves her four-year-old autistic son, Eli, in the care of her father Patrick to go help out a friend. But she never returns. And no one knows where her husband, Ryan, is, after he recently decided to take some time out. Has Aisha buckled under the pressure of coping with a high-needs child or has something more sinister happened? The story rachets up the tension as it heads back in time to when Aisha and Ryan met, how they fell in love despite being opposites - he was looking for wings, while she wanted roots. Family dynamics, such as the tension between Ryan and his twin Luke, and the flourishing relationship between Patrick and his grandson, are highlights of what is an intriguing read full of suspense.
Francesca is single, living alone in a small worker's cottage ready for renovating and spending her days working at the local hospital as a social worker. With her neighbour Meg, they watch the auctioning of vacant land behind her home when Francesca catches a glimpse of her past. Jack. It's been 13 years since their separation and Jack has a new life. A son and a partner who has no shame in hiding her disdain towards Francesca. With Jack's attempt to keep their childhood friendship hidden from his partner, it becomes all too apparent that the past can never be completely hidden from anyone. Memories and questions begin to resurface of the last time Jack and Francesca were together. The day they lost Kate. An inseparable trio with secrets. What happened to Kate? The guilt has become a burden for both Jack and Francesca with questions unanswered. In order to move forward, they need to seek the truth so they can begin to live their own lives without the haunting of the past. Losing Kate is a combination of romance, suspense and intrigue. Wonderfully written, the author has encapsulated a relationship strained with a hidden love and the fear of moving forward because of a guilt-ridden past. The reader is taken on a rollercoaster ride of questions where answers are needed. Moving at a medium pace, the reader becomes heavily involved in the storyline with the unravelling of what truly happened to Kate. At the same time, the reader is hoping Jack and Francesca are able to recognise what is truly meant to be for them. Kylie Kaden has announced her arrival as a writer with a storyline which is believable and most of all memorable. (MP)
