In the seemingly cosy suburbs of Sydney, the decomposing body of the elderly Rose Phillips is found in her kitchen. Empty pill packets and an empty bottle of Scotch suggest she committed suicide. The house has had the electricity supply cut-off but is for sale and this intrigues Detective Senior Constable Jill Brennan who is sent to investigate the death. Rose’s son William, a highly successful barrister, and his wife Suellyn are interviewed by the detective as she tries to unravel the mysteries surrounding Rose’s life… and her death.
Secrets and Lies is a skilful blend of mystery and suspense that crosses time and binds the present to the past and leaves us wondering about the future. Gina Amos cleverly draws us into her novel by introducing characters with hidden secrets and agendas. Ashleigh Taylor is a young medical examiner but coincidentally is a neighbour of the dead woman. Why does another neighbour, Kevin Taggart, watch her and seemingly have been one of the few people to have developed any kind of recent relationship with Rose? Why do other people in the street die? These are questions we want answered and consequently we are drawn into a guessing game.