A riveting novel about what we choose to keep from our past, and what we choose to leave behind, from Jodi Picoult, the New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here and Jennifer Finney Boylan, the bestselling author of She’s Not There.
Olivia McAfee and Ava Campanello have each had a change of life forced upon them. Olivia never dreamed that after her messy divorce she would find herself back in her sleepy New Hampshire home town, living in the house she grew up in and taking over her father’s beekeeping business. Ava is also in search of a fresh start, moving to Adams with her daughter Lily, who is in her final year of high school.
For a short while these new beginnings are just what everyone hoped for. Olivia’s son Asher falls for the new girl at school, and Lily can’t help loving him in return. With Ash she feels happy for the first time, yet she wonders if she can trust him completely.
Then one day Olivia receives a phone call. Lily is dead and Ash is being questioned by the police. Olivia is adamant that her son is innocent, but she also recognises the flashes of his father’s dangerous temper in him. As the case unfolds, she realises Ash has hidden more than he’s shared with her.
What follows is a gripping novel of suspense, a poignant love story and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take. The novel is told from dual perspectives. Olivia’s perspective unfolds in the present and through flashbacks to her relationship with her abusive ex-husband. Lily’s perspective is also interspersed throughout, moving backwards from her murder. Both characters were richly imagined and nuanced, offering varying perspective on the events in question as the victim and mother of the accused. Fan favourite Jordan McAfee, previously in The Pact, Nineteen Minutes and Salem Falls, also returns in this novel as Ash’s lawyer and Olivia’s brother.
In many ways Mad Honey harks back to the Jodi Picoult stories of old, such as Nineteen Minutes, The Pact and Picture Perfect. These were all thought-provoking and morally grey stories that didn’t shy away from topical subject-matter. In Mad Honey, Picoult and co-author Boylan examine themes of gender, identity and domestic violence with authenticity and care, making for a thoughtful and incisive read.
Highly emotional and very compelling, Mad Honey is a standout read from two very talented authors at the top of their game.
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