Lucia is a mother of two who lives near New York with her children and her elderly father. With her husband away at war, she has to manage the household with the help of her loyal maid. When an unfortunate event occurs, Lucia devotes all her energy to protecting her family’s reputation, exposing herself to dangers that she struggles to control. I found this novel quite different, with a woman at the centre of a crime story, but also with its portrayal of everyday domestic life during the Second World War and the burden of having to cope alone without a husband. I really enjoyed this novel and remained gripped by the story until the very end.
“Someone would come and see her. Someone always came. There was always a knock at the door. Everyone had a right to come to her; that was what she was for, that was her function, her reason for being. There was never an hour that belonged to her.”