It’s quick way to make a buck
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Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen, Harper Collins, $35
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What better way to spend a stormy weekend, but to relax on the couch with your favourite beverage, your nibbles of choice and a light entertaining crime novel like this.
The author has chosen an interesting format. She begins at the end, explaining to the Detective who nabbed her how she came from being a wife, mother and lawyer to be inveigled into a life of crime, but really through no fault of her own.
Ava and Winnie, both Asian students, first met as roommates at Stanford University. Half way through their first year at university there was a cheating scandal among many of the Chinese students. Winnie was one of the students expelled and sent home. Ava continued her studies, completed her law degree and is at present married to Ollie, an up and coming surgeon. She is on leave from her law position and home coping with a fractious young child, Henri. Ollie has been offered a post at another hospital which necessitated being away from home. Ava is not coping. She has recently lost her mother and appears to be becoming quite neurotic. Ollie has employed Maria, their third nanny, who appears to be a calming influence on the tantrum prone Henri.
Then Ava gets a surprise call from her old roommate whom she has not seen since her hurried departure from university. Winnie asks her to lunch. Curious, Ava accepts. At first Ava does not recognise her, but her attention is quickly drawn to the duffel-size Birkin bag the woman has slung over her shoulder.
Winnie is there for a purpose. She has tracked Ava down and found her husband is a surgeon. Winnie’s boss needs a liver transplant that won’t be done in mainland China, but if Ollie could fast track one a very sizeable donation would be given to the hospital.
This meeting becomes the beginning of a friendship of sorts. Ava is feeling worn out, rather broke and missing her husband. Initially appalled when Winnie described her business and her way to riches she can’t help but be intrigued.
A rash decision of hers results in her husband cancelling her credit card.
To save face she turns to Winnie for financial support and the die is cast.
A good read, no blood, no violence, but plenty of counterfeit. Margaret Reilly