by Tan Twan Eng
First published 2024
Lesley Hamlyn lives with her lawyer husband Robert at Cassowary House in colonial Penang when Somerset Maugham arrives for an extended stay in 1921. The famous writer brings his secretary Gerald, creating tensions that ripple through the household. Maugham faces his own crisis. His marriage of convenience has become unbearable, his savings are gone, and his career stagnates. He desperately needs material for his next book. Lesley's marriage hides secrets of its own. When Maugham learns about her past ties to Chinese revolutionary Dr. Sun Yat Sen, he begins investigating her story. Their growing friendship leads Lesley to share more about her life in the Straits. What Maugham discovers exceeds his expectations. Her tale involves war, scandal, and the trial of an Englishwoman accused of murder. The story captivates him as perfect material for fiction. Set against the backdrop of British colonial rule, the novel explores how empire shapes relationships between races, genders, and social classes while examining the complex bonds of love and friendship.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Penang, Straits
Period: 1921
313 pages · Paperback · Canongate