Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
By Kylie Kaden, Pantera Press, $29.99.
Secrets have a habit of rising to the surface, especially in small communities. That’s certainly the case for residents of the Queensland town of Lago Point.
Described as domestic noir, this book is a convincing read. As the title suggests, The Day the Lies Began is a distorted and tangled tale full of actualities that have been withheld for various reasons. That is not the case. It has the hallmarks of a disquieting and involving read. It grips with the many storyline rotations that keep you in the midst of a guessing game with the loads of characters to love and hate.
Two couples, four ironclad friendships, the perfect coastal holiday town. It revolves around the Moon Festival, a pinnacle event on the calendar. It could have been left behind, they all could have moved on with their lives.
With its salt-stung houses and tight community, Lago Point is the scene of postcards, not crimes. Wife and mother Abbi, town cop Blake, schoolteacher Hannah and local doctor Will are caught in their own tangled webs of deceit. Sometimes doing wrong can feel completely right.
When the truth washes in, so do the judgements: vigilante, or victim, who will betray, who will forgive? Not all relationships survive. Nor do all residents.
‘It seemed simple at first – folding one lie over the next. She had become expert at feathering over the cracks to ensure her life appeared the same. But inside, it didn’t feel fixed.’
This story of relationships, friendships and dark truths is also the story of a tragic and defining event, acts of deceit, the protective lens, the cover-up and the power secrets set to transform lives.
This book takes its time, is absorbing, with the focus on the build-up of tensions.
