On the Page:

Recent releases and an author spotlight

Jo Furniss Amazon Publishing | 352 pages

When lonely British expat Amanda’s helper dies in an apparent suicide, and with a stash of drugs prescribed to her husband Edward, she starts to question everything, sending her on a frenzied search to uncover the truth about the man she moved across the world for.

Meanwhile, Camille has questions for Edward, too. Desperate to solve a family mystery, she has moved back to Singapore for answers, and sets out on an obsessive mission to make sense of her jumbled childhood memories – and exactly how Edward fits into them. While Amanda unravels more secrets about Edward and her stepdaughter Josie, Camille gets closer and closer to finding what she’s looking for, even if it means putting her job in jeopardy.

Interweaving these two women’s stories, this psychological thriller set in modern-day Singapore serves up suspense every step of the way, culminating in a shocking final twist (just the way I like it!). Themes of identity and independence are brought to the forefront, with the privileges of expat life contrasted with the threat of it being so easily taken away; as a trailing spouse on a dependent pass, Amanda only has so much power.

Jo Furniss also weaves in distinct references to Singapore’s expat culture, from Facebook forums and classified pages to luxurious penthouse living and cushy, exotic getaways, and touches on close-to-home topics like the treatment of migrant domestic workers. You don’t have to be an expat here to love this book, though the familiar setting, for me, made the storyline even more fun.