Part of Isabel Dalhousie, book 11
First published 2017
Isabel Dalhousie has her hands full with a new baby and a jealous four-year-old son Charlie who refuses to acknowledge his baby brother Magnus. While navigating family tensions at home with husband Jamie, Isabel receives a visit from Rosemary Hipple, an old acquaintance who plays matchmaker at dinner parties. Rosemary recently introduced a cosmetic surgeon to a successful banker, but disturbing information about the surgeon has emerged. She asks Isabel to investigate whether the match should proceed. Isabel agrees to help, but her inquiries take unexpected directions. Soon she questions whether she should be looking into the banker instead of the surgeon. As Isabel digs deeper into the lives of both potential partners, she must rely on her intelligence and empathy to untangle the truth. The investigation forces her to examine the duties of friendship, the weight of honesty, and how perspective shapes our understanding of others.
Genres: literary-fiction, mystery, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
256 pages · Hardcover · Knopf Canada