Book 112: Tiger in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann
Book 112: Tigers in Red Weather.
Author: Liza Klaussmann, 2012.
Genre: Period Fiction. Family Drama. Coming of Age. Mystery.
Other Details: Paperback. 389 pages.
Nick and her cousin, Helena, have grown up sharing sultry summers at Tiger House, the glorious old family estate on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. As World War II ends they are on the cusp of adulthood, the world seeming to offer itself up to them. Helena is leaving for Hollywood and a new marriage, while Nick is to be reunited with her young husband Hughes, due to return from London and the war. Everything is about to change.
Neither quite finds the life she had imagined, and as the years pass, the trips to Tiger House take on a new complexity. Then, on the brink of the 1960s, Nick’s daughter Daisy and Helena’s son Ed make a sinister discovery. It plunges the island’s bright heat into private shadow and sends a depth-charge to the heart of the family. - synopsis from UK publisher's website.
The synopsis above is just a taster of this intelligent and complex family drama. It has five sections each dedicated to one of the major characters: first Nick, then her daughter Daisy, followed by Nick's cousin Helena, then her husband Hughes and finally switching from third to first person narration in the final section for Ed, Helena's son.
At first glance this appears to be very much a summer read. However, the discovery of a young woman's body by Daisy and Ed bring a darker tone to the tale and this darker element continues through to the final pages.
I was enthralled by this story. The characters are complex and easy to relate to. Daisy was my favourite and I'd love to have known how her life progressed post 1969. Nick was also complex in terms of her motives and actions over the years. I also felt that Klaussmann did a superb job in capturing the post-war period, especially the heady 1960s.
This was a library reading group selection and was well received by the group generating discussion about its characters and the various twists in the story.
Certainly an impressive début novel and I'll be on the lookout for future works from Liza Klaussmann. Overall, I loved it and bought my own copy.
Cross-posted to 50bookchallenge.