Tata

When film director Agnès Septembre learns her aunt Colette has just died, the news comes as a surprise, as Agnès was previously told Colette had died three years ago. Perrin (Fresh Water for Flowers) intertwines multiple story lines surrounding the ensuing mystery in this entrancing drama. Agnès finds a suitcase of audio cassette tapes recorded by Colette among her belongings, which, as the reader eventually discovers, hold the answers to Agnès’s questions about why Colette faked her death and who was buried in her place. Listening to them, Agnès learns about a former circus performer named Blanche, who finds refuge from her abusive father, Soudoro, in Colette’s home, unbeknownst to anyone in Colette’s family. She also gets the story of Colette’s difficult upbringing by an ignorant, cruel mother, her career as a shoe mender, and her devotion to her piano prodigy brother, Jean. The plot ramps up when Soudoro, released from prison for beating Blanche’s mother, becomes fixated on Agnès. The epic saga satisfies despite an over-the-top final twist, and Perrin juggles the myriad plotlines with élan while maintaining suspense. It’s a gripping story about the power of friendship as a safe harbor from abusive families. (June)