Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller

Ingrid went missing from a Dorset beach twelve years ago and is presumed to have drowned. She left behind her husband Gil, who is an author with one famous novel to his name, and their daughters Nan and Flora. Flora was only ten years old when her mother disappeared and has always believed that she's alive.

 

Gil thinks he sees Ingrid but then has an accident causing both daughters to return to the family home to look after him, his possible sighting is put down to old age and ill health.

 

The story is beautifully told, both in the present day and the past. The latter in the form of letters that Ingrid wrote to her husband and left hidden in the many books inside their house by the sea. Truths, infidelities and tragedies are gradually revealed and I was gripped. This was a clever way of letting us learn about the characters and their marriage and it worked extremely well.

 

I enjoyed the author's first novel, Our Endless Numbered Days and Swimming Lessons is even better.

 

 

Rating: 5 out of 5

 

 

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books (UK) for my review copy.

 

Publication date: 26th January 2017