Norman’s latest offering is a thrilling double-feature, perfect for readers who enjoy a touch of peril.
This two-part narrative weaves a multigenerational saga centered on resilient women confronting life-threatening challenges.
Harriet Yorke’s father, Peter, inherited Calla House from his family but decides to give the spacious Belsize Park residence to his daughter after purchasing a cottage in Cornwall. Ambitious Harriet had aspirations of attending the Slade School of Fine Art, but when Peter falls seriously ill, she takes a position at the BBC and transforms Calla House into three flats, reserving the top floor for herself. As World War II engulfs Britain, her late-night walks with her terrier cause concern among her tenants, yet Harriet remains unaware that her greatest threat comes not from the Nazi bombings but from a neighbor whose childhood trauma has resulted in a dangerous fixation on women’s hair.
Fast forward over 50 years, Harriet’s granddaughter, cartoonist Libby Jerome, has further converted Calla House into five flats. Like her grandmother, Libby maintains a close relationship with her tenants, and when she uncovers asbestos throughout the building, she hires builder Reggie Brownlow to safely remove it, prioritizing their well-being over profit. However, the disruption caused by relocating the residents proves to be more than just an inconvenience, posing a serious threat to both Libby and her tenants. Norman skillfully intertwines the two narratives, allowing Libby’s journey to resonate with Harriet’s without mere repetition. Each storyline is anchored in its time: the global threat in Harriet’s tale contrasts with the environmental hazards faced in Libby’s. Yet the true menace that sends shivers down the reader’s spine is the lingering impact of intergenerational trauma.
