Shadows Over Paradise

February 1, 2015

Working as a ghostwriter allows Jenni to immerse herself in other people's stories to the exclusion of her own. In fact, her inability to deal with a devastating event in her past is causing her current romantic relationship to unravel. When she travels to Cornwall, England, to work on the memoir of a soon-to-be octogenarian named Klara, Jenni finds herself at the site of the incident that has haunted her since childhood. Klara also experienced trauma at an early age as the result of being imprisoned by the Japanese in various camps on Java during World War II. Though separated by decades and life circumstances, the two women are surprised to discover they share a deep connection. Will it be enough to help them process the phantoms of their histories? VERDICT Shifting focus from the present to the past with ease, this novel brings to the page the reality of the horrors of the Japanese-run internment camps in vivid and gory detail. Wolff's (A Vintage Affair) latest will please fans of women's stories that include a realistic depiction of life during wartime and the ability to overcome adversity.--Karen Core, Detroit P.L.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2015
A chance encounter at a friend's wedding puts ghostwriter Jenni Clark in contact with Klara Tregear, an elderly woman who survived an internment camp in the Dutch East Indies during WWII. Klara wants to share her story, and despite her misgivings, Jenni journeys to Cornwall to interview Klara. Klara's story is unrelentingly brutalas the war raged on, life in the camps grew increasingly difficult, forcing family and friends to betray one another in order to survive. The process is intense for both women, and Jenni's time with Klara forces her to examine her own past. Told in the alternating voices of Jenni and Klara, popular British writer Wolff's (The Very Picture of You, 2011) latest is a dual-period saga featuring two women haunted by tragic family secrets. The blossoming friendship and understanding between Jenni and Klara help them both find a way to forgive themselves for the events of their childhood and move toward true happiness. An excellent choice for fans of Sarah Jio and Kate Morton.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)