The Old House on The Corner by Maureen Lee
A moving contemporary novel set in Liverpool about the new residents of
Victoria Square.Victoria Macara is twenty-seven and lives alone in the old house on
the corner that was once home to the family removal business. When the land is sold,
she finds herself surrounded by a small estate of new properties called Victoria
Square. The newcomers who move in around her bring with them their own dramas.
The mismatched Kathleen and Steve are lovers with broken marriages behind them;
Rachel is attempting to escape from a terrible tragedy; upper-class Sarah arrives with
her children after running away from an abusive husband, while Anna and Ernie are
just after a quiet life. For Marie Jordan, Victoria Square is a refuge from the men
who murdered her husband; for Judy Moon, it means a fresh start after forty years
of marriage to a man she'd thought she'd love forever. But it is to Gareth - trapped
in a hopeless marriage - that Victoria is particularly drawn. When Rachel decides to
hold a barbeque, the scene is set for confrontation, truth-telling and the revelation of
long-held secrets that will touch the lives of all these characters.
This was the first book by Maureen Lee, which I have read. I thoroughly
enjoyed the way the novel was written in. I must admit that some chapters are
seemed to be monotonous, some dialogues and motives of characters can be
predictable. But the story is thought-provoking and moving. All characters are
exceptionally convincing and believable. I really enjoyed reading this book, that’s
why I can recommend it.