Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
By Caroline Beecham, Allen & Unwin, $29.99.
Here’s a captivating wartime mystery of past deceits, family confidences and long-lasting love. There’s an intriguing storyline with interplay where mystery overlaps generations.
First, it’s London, 1942. Eleanor Roy is an art school graduate who is recruited by the War Artists Advisory Committee. When that happens, she gets one step closer to realising her dream of becoming one of the few female war artists. However, she hadn’t banked on how difficult it would be to break into the art establishment. It’s difficult going until Eleanor meets painter, Jack Valante, only to be separated by his sudden posting overseas.
Change the setting to Melbourne, 2010. Eleanor asks her granddaughter, Kathryn, to travel to London to help her return a precious painting to its artist. She wants help to find Jack, who had disappeared from Eleanor’s life during the war.
Kathryn is reluctant to leave her family home, but can’t refuse. She’s puzzled at the reasons for this search. This then is the basis for the mystery – one that Beecham gradually works her way through to unravel.
Then when a long-held family secret is uncovered Kathryn has to make a choice to return home or risk her family’s future. Eleanor shows her that safeguarding the future is sometimes worth more than protecting the past.
Eleanor Roy was hampered in her efforts, due to her gender, in chasing her fervent desire to be a war artist, even though her talent was obviously noticeable. Just enough information is included about the ‘ bureaucratic decision-making’ that reveals how this all came about.
An extra layer of plausibility is added because Beecham has done her research on wartime artists. This adds a layer to the book, making for absorbing reading without being overpowering in detail.
