When a last collection of songs by British musical icon, James Bennett, is discovered in an old Somerset house, rumours about his mysterious death during a wild midsummer party more than fifty years ago begin to swirl again. An accident? Suicide? Or murder?
The only person still alive who knows what happened is frail but indomitable Ruth Henderson. She now lives in a Sydney apartment, but back in 1972 she was staying in Somerset with her closest friend, Adela McMahon, who was married to James.
From very different backgrounds, Ruth and Adela became inseparable while growing up in an isolated New South Wales rural town. And they longed to escape. Adela fled first, to the bright lights and hectic whirl of swinging London, where she soon met James. But all was not as gilded as it seemed. Ruth was a witness to her beloved friend’s tempestuous and troubling relationship – and she was by Adela’s side the night James died.
Journalists are clamouring to hear Ruth’s story. Of them all, Ruth chooses young and ambitious Kate Griffin, who will do anything to boost her career. But as the past and the present begin to collide, an unexpected friendship grows between the two women and deciding what really matters proves life changing for them both.
Moving between contemporary Australia and England in 1972, and between the worlds of Ruth and Kate, this compelling and beautifully written novel is about secrets and confessions, about vulnerability and hidden strength, about the cruelty of betrayal and, most of all, about the inextinguishable power and joy of friendship.
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An Invisible Tattoo follows Kate, a young and ambitious journalist, and Ruth, the elderly and sole surviving ‘witness’ of the mysterious death of her best friend’s famous lover in 1972. This is a beautiful exploration of friendship, identity, independence and the long shadow of trauma, with a thoughtful nod to Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own. The narrative flows seamlessly between the present lives of Ruth and Kate in Sydney, and Ruth’s memories of her and her friend Adela’s Australian childhood and their time together in free-spirited 70’s London. I really enjoyed the strong sense of place in each location and time, rich with atmospheric descriptions of physical and social details that brought each setting to life. Ruth’s internal voice is wonderful, making you feel her frustration and sometimes embarrassment with her ageing body and diminishing independence in the present day, as well as her once youthful energy and self doubt. While Kate begins as an enigma, she develops in fascinating ways, learning and growing from her time spent with Ruth. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and I loved the ending, which was both delightful and surprisingly emotional. A lovely story that will stay with you. Lisa, QLD, 5 stars
An Invisible Tattoo can represent a scar that cannot be seen—a mark left on the soul with an everlasting impact. As a reader, you’ll soon discover how this idea unfolds in Suellen Dainty’s novel. The story follows Kate Griffin, a journalist for New Weekly, who reaches out to Ruth, a childhood friend of the late Adela, hoping to write about British musician James and the last collection of songs he wrote before his mysterious death. The narrative moves between contemporary Australia and 1972 England, weaving together the lives of Ruth, Kate, and Adela. As Ruth agrees to tell her story, she and Kate form a bond. But Kate soon senses that Ruth is holding back, teasing her with just enough details to keep her intrigued. With a looming deadline and her boss pressuring her, Kate must tread carefully while navigating the past. Meanwhile, her own relationship begins to unravel, revealing truths she never saw coming. The characters are engaging, and the alternating perspectives add intrigue to the plot. The mystery keeps you turning the pages, and the book cover perfectly complements the story’s tone. A thoroughly enjoyable read—I give it 5 stars! Sharron, QLD, 5 stars
A beautifully written story about the power of friendship. When previously unknown songs by British musician James Bennett are discovered, interest is stirred again about his mysterious death fifty years ago. The only person still living who was there at the time is Ruth, now elderly and living in Sydney. Ruth agrees to be interviewed by young journalist Kate, and tells her story. Ruth had been childhood friends with James’s wife Adela and they had been very close. The story shifts between present day Kate and 1960s and 70s Ruth and the writing is very compelling. Secrets and betrayals come to light and the truth is finally revealed. I loved this book! Denise, QLD, 5 stars
A superbly told story about women and the relationships that shape them. Told through two point of views, it was compelling, emotional and explored important themes without shying away from difficult subjects. But above all it’s about friendship and how it shapes who we become. Kylie, QLD, 5 stars
A really well-written, engaging book. Great characters, an intriguing story and a little bit of a surprise ending. I love a book set in familiar locations and time periods, so this worked for me. The stream of consciousness narrative from Ruth was believable and sometimes harrowing; and Kate’s ‘turnaround’ was just what I wanted to see. Sex, drugs, rock and roll but also friendship, love and hope. Victoria, NSW, 5 stars
Amazing book, I really found myself falling deep into this story, and looking up to realise hours had passed. Highly Recommend. Jessica, NSW, 5 stars
A poignant tale of how deep connections run, The Invisible Tattoo is a reminder that sometimes our soul mate may be found in a friend rather than a lover. This story beautifully, and tragically, tells how events in one’s past can have a lifelong impact. Amy, WA, 5 stars
Wow…what a great story of complicated relationships, deceptions and betrayal but also about unconditional love, integrity and new relationships. Thoroughly enjoyed it Andrea, VIC, 5 stars
I enjoyed reading “An Invisible Tattoo by Suellen Dainty” It was quite intriguing following the journey of two very different friends who grew up in an Australian bush town. Adela went to London where she met song writer James who was quite temperamental. Ruth followed to England and witnessed her friends troubled relationship with James and his death. Ruth is left as the only person knowing the truth about James death and journalists pester her to let them have the story. A young journalist Kate Griffin persuades Ruth to tell her story and the two become firm friends over the time the story is told about secrets, betrayal and friendship. This is an intriguing story and well worth reading. Katrina, QLD, 5 stars
Loved how everything became clearer to Kate at the very end (& then she heads for home). The significance of that might be missed by anyone not familiar with Sydney, but I appreciated it, & I like to think she set the record straight Ayesha, NSW, 4 stars
I’ll be honest, this book took me a little longer to get into than usual, but I persevered and am happy I did. The first couple of chapters, whilst slow for me, did set the scene for what was to come. Meeting Ruth and Kate in the now, and then following their shared journey, back to 1972 and the events that changed Ruth’s life, the connection between Ruth and Kate, and why Ruth chose Kate to be one to hear her story. Ruth travels from Australia to England to visit with her closest childhood friend, Adela, and their relationship is tested by Adela’s husband, rockstar James Bennett and his subsequent death. Was it an accident, or suicide or murder? The aged Ruth has pushed so many of the memories of this period away, but the eager journalist Kate pushes her to remember and reveal the secrets from this far away time and place, as Ruth is the only one still alive that knows what really happened in that midsummer of 1972. Kate is also questioning her life and the choices she has to make. Friendships are tested but they can be the strength needed to survive too. Anne, ACT, 4 stars
This novel had a great feminist story to it, highlighting the importance of strong female relationships. Ruth is escaping her life in Sydney and discovering herself at her best friends new home in England. You see all the characters develop and change as the story progresses, not always for the best. The interview style format of this story reminded me of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ and also had some similar themes. Overall, I enjoyed the book and found it an easy read. Emma, NSW, 4 stars
An intriguing tale of friendship, mystery and secrets that are kept for decades and later revealed to an unlikely source. Ruth and Adela’s friendship is bound not only by time, but from shared experiences (good and bad) and feelings that at times run deeper than friendship. I resonated with Kate, the journalist selected to interview Ruth about James Bennett, the deceased famous musician and Adela’s husband. Kate’s internal battle between her career ambition and moral compass is relatable and admirable, and without revealing too much, I very much related to her decision making. I enjoyed reading this novel and the mystery of it had me turning the pages until the very end. Sally, SA, 4 stars
This is the story of Ruth, from Australia to England and back to Australia. This is really her life story, but in a way it is also the story of Kate, a journalist who has her own story to tell. And yet there is still another story and that is the story of musician James Bennett and his death which seems to be a mystery in itself. This book has a bit of everything in it from life’s choices to betrayal, trauma, drama and plenty of suspense. I liked the writing as it drew me into this story and it was not overly long so I never got bored. The characters are very interesting with each having their own point of view told throughout. There were a few twists and turns and some suspense to keep your interest and the story flowed well making it easy to read. A good all-round read and one I enjoyed. Donna, TAS, 4 stars
Ruth and Adela have been friends since they were 9 years old growing up in Birindi, country NSW, since the incident they’ve spent years trying not to remember. ‘It’s over now. And nothing happened. Not really.’ In 1972 Ruth is invited to spend time with Adela and her husband James at Avalon House in Somerset, England, where life is a cocktail of parties and drugs. James is a songwriter/musician encouraged to complete his overdue album by his manager but increasingly being argumentative and hostile. His unexpected death, at only 34 years of age, is ruled accidental, a tragic loss to the music industry. 50 years later a carpenter renovating Avalon House discovers a dusty tape machine, tapes and notebooks: the collection of James’ last songs. The press clamour for details as the anticipated album is remastered. The only living survivor of the inner circle is the frail but astute Ruth who agrees to be interviewed by young journalist Kate hoping for a career-boosting scoop. Will Ruth provide the long awaited clarification surrounding James unexplained death? Or like the Japanese concept of Ma, the space between musical notes, will Ruth continue to keep secrets and be faithful to friends to the end? A lyrical telling of the tale, definitely worth singing Suellen Dainty’s praises. Anita, QLD, 4 stars
What a lovely book about friendship, loyalty and life. Couldn’t put it down. The structure of the chapters made it very easy to follow even though the narrator and settings changed. Ruth led a very complicated life and Kate gave her the peace she craved. Emily, VIC, 4 stars
An Invisible Tattoo is a layered and complex story. While slow-paced at the start the last third of the book picks up pace as revelations and events conclude. This pace matches Kate’s experience of patiently and painstakingly working to gain Ruth’s trust and story. The characters are interesting, multifaceted and at times difficult and complicated. Ruth and Adela’s friendship is a focus of the story and shapes the events of both character’s lives. The dual point of view of Ruth and the interviewer, Kate adds to the story and allows for a pleasing resolution to the story among the final twists and turns. Kylie, NSW, 4 stars
I found the pace of this story a little slow for my liking although the story itself was interesting and well written but could’ve done without a lot of the details. The friendship between Ruth and Kate developed nicely as the story progressed culminating in an unexpected ending (no spoilers). I had a suspicion on what might have happened to James on the night he died and I was somewhat correct. Overall an easy and enjoyable read Natalie, NSW, 4 stars
‘The sound of our words is the song line of our hearts…’ It has been a long time since I have read a book that gives me all the cozy vintage vibes like An Invisible Tattoo has done. The author has not only captured the heart of vintage 70’s London but evoked a sense of whimsy in the retelling of the main characters story. She has weaved the two timelines of modern Australia and 1970’s England together in an almost flawless way, making the transition from modern day to memories of a past time easy and enjoyable to read. Mentioning great musicians like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen made the storyline even more relatable, as did the description of childhood in 1960’s Australia. The story of friendship is strong throughout reminding the reader that although relationships are complex and sometimes fraught with trauma, true friendship (even if unexpected) will persevere and survive all odds. A highly enjoyable read that left my heart aching for the female protagonists but also left me smiling with warmth and understanding. Kristen, QLD, 4 stars
The Invisible tattoo is a story about friendship across many years and the everlasting impression that it can leave.A lifelong connection stays with you, as does the story. The characters are well developing and endearing. A gentle yet,thought provoking read. Astrid, VIC, 3 stars
This book was interesting but I really didn’t enjoy it for some reason. I’m not quite sure why. The storyline was good and the characters were well developed but somehow it didn’t all come together for me. A little shallow and predictable perhaps. Lina, VIC, 3 stars
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