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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Some
Historical murder referenced; moderate thriller tension
Language
Barely any
Mild language
Sexual Content
Barely any
No significant sexual content
Substance Use
Barely any
Minimal substance use
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Strong psychological complexity; family secrets spanning generations; historical crime revisited
What this book is about
Written as Barbara Vine, this novel presents the diary of Asta Westerby, a Danish immigrant in Edwardian London, discovered decades later by her granddaughter. As the granddaughter reads, she realizes the diary contains evidence connected to a famous unsolved murder case from 1905. A layered literary mystery about family secrets, translation, and what we choose to reveal and conceal.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Historical murder
Family secrets
Dual timeline
Reader Verification
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