Joan Fallon

This novel, about a young Spanish girl, Ana, commissioned to ghost-write the memoirs of a famous artist, Nancy Miller, has the ring of truth about it. Nancy, now a crotchety and suspicious old lady, is getting forgetful – but does she really not recall what brought her to Spain half a century ago? There seems little to like about Nancy, but Ana’s questions, and Nancy’s secret memories, reveal bitter, heart-rending experiences at the hands of a brutal young husband. This page-turning story was excellent on ‘the reasons why’ – but left me wondering about Ana, and where she would go next. (Perhaps another story there?) As a former art student myself, I would have liked more about Nancy’s paintings – but that’s just me. This is a good, page-turning mystery, a most enjoyable read, and the final denouement was excellent.