A warm, compassionate, compelling and enjoyable read

Family Secrets by Liz Byrski

Family Secrets is available via Booktopia for $23.95

“HAWKINS, Gerald Arthur

Passed peacefully at his home in Hobart on25 January 2012, aged 73.

Beloved husband of Connie, father of Andrew and Kerry, grandfather of Brooke, Ryan and Mia, father-in-law of Linda and Chris.

Peace at last after a long and painful journey.

So many happy memories.

We will miss you terribly, but you will live forever in our hearts”

The day they disperse their father’s ashes, Andrew and Kerry have a long discussion about the dispersal of their mother Connie.  Like all good children, they know instinctively what is right for Connie and waste no time sharing their combined wisdom with her.

To their utter disbelief, Connie has no intention of “moving closer” to either of them in fact she has decided to pack her bags immediately and travel. They are further amazed to learn that Afghanistan refugee Farah and her daughters will live in their home, taking care of the family dog, until Connie returns.

What’s more, Connie is going to visit Gerald’s long estranged sister Flora and see if she can rekindle their friendship. This cannot be the “just a few years short of seventy” woman they love so dearly; the woman who gave up her career for marriage and family; the woman who without complaint cared for their father during his long illness.

In their own way, every member of the family has been living in Gerald’s shadow, living with his decrees. Many questions, such as why Flora was persona non grata for so many years, are never answered. Gerald tells his wife and children the discussion is ended and it is ended; his word is absolute. Consequently, something that could have been explained remains locked away, a family secret. He is not a bad man; he is a product of the time where the man of the house took responsibility for the household.

Connie knew this, but also a product of her time, she allowed her husband to lead and govern the family. Now that his physical presence is removed, will Gerald still influence the decisions? Will the secrets of a lifetime stay secret, or will they be revealed? Will the family shatter and disintegrate, or will they become a stronger unit, finding their own personalities.

When you find a great author, you may wonder, “Can the books get any better”.  I entered Liz Byrski’s world via the Last Chance Café, met the Gang of Four, laughed and cried my way through Belly Dancing for Beginners and went on a Trip of a Lifetime. I learned a little about the real Liz via Remember Me – A Memoir and then took another journey with this esteemed academic in Getting On: Some Thoughts on Women and Aging.

So how does Family Secrets fare? Without choosing a favourite child, it is as warm, compassionate, compelling and just plain enjoyable as I have come to expect from this wonderful author. Liz Byrski writes about mature people, women in particular.  Her characters are fully developed; they love, hate and hold grudges; they resent time they spend doing one thing when they would rather be doing something else; in short they are real.

Thank you Jace Armstrong from Pan MacMillan Australia for providing me with my ARC. I would like to leave you with a little quote from Family Secrets that I found thought provoking:

 “Well, I asked you if you thought that when people fall in love they love each other like that forever. And you said that if you really love someone, you can also hate them and different things will tip you one way or the other. And you said, perhaps if you love someone you just can’t keep it up all the time.”

Family Secrets is available via Booktopia for $23.95

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About the Author

Liz was born and raised in England and has lived in Western Australia since 1981.  She worked as a staff and freelance journalist, a broadcaster with ABC radio and an advisor to a WA Government minister. Liz has a PhD in writing from Curtin University where she teaches professional and creative writing.

She is the author of Gang of Four; Belly Dancing for Beginners; Trip of Lifetime; Last Chance Café; Food, Money, Sex; Bad Behaviour, In the Company of Strangers,  Remember Me – A Memoir, and other nonfiction titles, the latest if which is Getting On: Some thoughts on Women and Aging.