A Double Life

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Claire was a young child when someone broke into her home, killed her nanny and brutally attacked her mother.

As the title implies, one of the main characters is leading a double life, but what I thought were the reasons behind this title, turned out to be wrong… Gabriela was an even more interesting character than I first assumed. People everywhere, many of them otherwise sharp-witted and self-aware, are being deceived by their loved ones every day.

Take Stieg Larsson’s best seller “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” which lingers unbearably, for pages and pages, over the description of Lisbeth’s rape. It is based on the real life crime case of Lord Lucan, a British royal who was accused of killing his children's nanny and attempting to kill his estranged wife. Worried for her younger brother, who is addicted to opioids, Claire muses, "Maybe that's why I'm doing better than he is now, like being loved by Mum was an incubator that was switched off too early for him. It’s as if someone leaned over Berry's shoulder to tell her that every good thriller isn't complete without a nonsensical twist at the end, so she'd better get on it. Her unhinged and completely unethical stalking finally lead to a potential payoff - will Claire be able to discover if her father is alive or dead, and if alive.

Like a fierce mother, Heylin is the only person allowed to criticise Dylan – and when he does, he really puts the boot in – but no one else can say a bad word.Throughout the years, Claire has been contacted by the Police to inform her that her father has been sighted in various locations. Her mother insisted she'd seen him in the house that night, but his powerful, privileged friends maintained his innocence. Claire’s father, based on the real-life dastard Lord Lucan, loved her mother, until he grew tired of her. Termina recuperando el ritmo, pero en mi caso ya era demasiado tarde y si no se hubiese tratado de un libro de colaboración, habría abandonado la lectura antes de finalizarla.

s. I was intrigued by the fact that the book was loosely inspired by one of the most notorious unsolved crimes of the 20th century—the Lord Lucan case. Every time Clare hears of a sighting of her father, she becomes more and more convinced he is alive and living free. The inevitable result of privilege and power versus a victim’s truth forces the family to move and change their identity. Has he killed himself after this supposed case of mistaken identity or he is the actual cold blooded murderer that some believe him to be? Overall I have to say that I did prefer Under the Harrow to A Double Life since the former had more to offer in the way of atmosphere with its setting in the English countryside, but I did really enjoy this as well.During the inquest her reputation is brought into question including concerns over her mental health and her sexual proclivities. A totally addictive page-turner about terrible secrets within a marriage, perfect for fans of Big Little Lies and Sally Hepworth. When you’re reading the book, it will feel as though you are wading through an oil slick, and the other feelings this book may conjure up may include loathing and revulsion. However, although it is inspired by a real-life event, the characters are fictional and events are told from the point of view of Claire, a thirty four year old doctor in London. Surely, wouldn’t someone in authority know what was going on with Benson’s living situation and attempt to get him back in touch with his far-flung loved ones?

Scott Berg's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Charles Lindberg remains "the definitive account" of one of the 20th century's most extraordinary figures. But when he becomes the prime suspect in a horrific attack on Claire’s mother – a pretty little thing who married into the elite ranks of society and dared escape her gilded cage – fate and privilege collide, and a scandal erupts. Many novels focus on the elusive desire for closure and the need to answer questions as to why something happens. In exploring what could possibly compel a mother to deceive and betray in a manner viewed as almost exclusively male territory, Philby rolls back the years to a twenty-two-year-old Gabriela being selected for a coveted internship at the FCO and the full-time post that subsequently follows.I flew through these pages in just a day due to the pacy writing style and the ‘passing of the baton’ between Gabriella and Isobel for who had the narrative on a chapter. As I realise his double life has put my children in terrible danger, I make a promise: I will not let my husband’s lies destroy my life.