There is tension in the air when seven old friends get together for an annual reunion in the latest novel by Tina Seskis. As the wine flows, the old adage — “in vino veritas”– comes to mind or as Seskis puts it: “The alcohol had finally dislodged stuck feelings, like years-old plaque set free by mouthwash”.
Secrets, affairs, guilt, friendship and forgiveness are the order of the day along with a good measure of squabbling and bitchiness. The venue for the reunion is the Serpentine Lake in London’s Hyde Park where before the day is over one of the seven friends will drown.
The story is told by each of the seven women in relatively short chapters. Seven points of view is challenging for the reader and it takes a while to get a clear picture of which character is which. That said, summer is very much in the air in a novel that is centered around a picnic in the park. A Serpentine Affair is an easy summer read that should appeal to lovers of chick lit.
A Serpentine Affair by Tina Seskis is published by Kirk Parolles. ISBN 9780957544376. [Disclosure: A free advance copy was provided by Netgalley for review.]