Daughters of the Lake is a contemporary family drama set in Switzerland. Madalena invites her four adult children to celebrate her hotel's fortieth anniversary, unaware of their tensions and secrets. As the day of the celebration approaches, confused emotions take hold, and the happy occasion goes badly wrong. Set against a backdrop of mountains and lakes,Daughters of the Lake is a story of love, lies and family conflicts.
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About the author
I grew up in Glasgow, Scotland but defected to Edinburgh in my thirties, after living in New Zealand and Australia. For many years I worked for the NHS as a dietitian and health promoter. In 2006 things changed. I took a career break to move with my family to Grenoble, France, for three years. Until then, writing had been simply a hobby, but while living in France, this changed and it became a passion. Now I'd describe writing as what I do, and I can't imagine doing anything else.....
I write contemporary novels and life writing pieces. I am also a keen blogger, including penning letters from a Russian cat. I am always on the lookout for interesting authors to interview for my Papillon blog. If you'd like to be interviewed, please email me on: Riddell.Jane@gmail.com.
My debut novel, Daughters of the Lake, was published in November 2014, and is available on Kindle from Amazon. My editing guide, Words'Worth - a fiction writer's guide to serious editing, is published by ThornBerry Publishing and is available in paperback from Amazon. My long-short story, Erin Cara is available in Kindle on Amazon.
My second novel, Chergui's Child, will be published in February 2015.
I hold a Masters in Creative Writing. In 2011 I started a small editing business, Choice Words Editing.
If I had to summarise my personality, it would be this: enthusiastic, well-intentioned, hopelessly inadequate with computer technology, addicted to chocolate and have a dysfunctional relationship with time, (the last two characteristics aren't necessarily connected).
I write contemporary novels and life writing pieces. I am also a keen blogger, including penning letters from a Russian cat. I am always on the lookout for interesting authors to interview for my Papillon blog. If you'd like to be interviewed, please email me on: Riddell.Jane@gmail.com.
My debut novel, Daughters of the Lake, was published in November 2014, and is available on Kindle from Amazon. My editing guide, Words'Worth - a fiction writer's guide to serious editing, is published by ThornBerry Publishing and is available in paperback from Amazon. My long-short story, Erin Cara is available in Kindle on Amazon.
My second novel, Chergui's Child, will be published in February 2015.
I hold a Masters in Creative Writing. In 2011 I started a small editing business, Choice Words Editing.
If I had to summarise my personality, it would be this: enthusiastic, well-intentioned, hopelessly inadequate with computer technology, addicted to chocolate and have a dysfunctional relationship with time, (the last two characteristics aren't necessarily connected).
Author links: www.quietfiction.com
My Review
Within the story, the author makes
reference to Anita Brookner’s ‘Hotel du lac’ and as a reader, you can’t help
looking at the parallels, there is indeed a hotel set by the lake in
Switzerland and the prose has a literary feel to it. On the other hand, the style is far more
engaging than Brookner’s and makes for an excellent read without being ‘dry’.
When the four siblings are gathered together, the reader knows that secrets are
bound to be revealed and the interaction between the three sisters and their
brother is extremely well done. Add teenage angst to the mix in the form of
Lucy and you have a dramatic story. The revelations feel like a weight lifted
from the shoulders, not only of the characters but also of the reader. Each of
them is faced with their own demons as bit by bit we discover who they really
are.
4.5/5
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