![]() Cecily’s children and husband are caught in the net of violence brought on by the war. Fujiwara persuades Cecily to steal information from her husband’s government employers – information that, years later, leads to a brutal period of Japanese occupation during WWII. ![]() The two grow closer, and eventually Chan reveals his secret: his true name is General Fujiwara, and he is an agent for the Japanese Imperial Army seeking to cast off British rule. Housewife Cecily Alcantara is charmed by merchant Bingley Chan when the two meet at a party in 1934. In this evocative novel set in British-colonized Malaya, a chance encounter sets off a chain of events that irrevocably alters a family’s life. ![]() (Originally published in Bellingham Alive March 2024 issue.) Reviewed by Mary Kinser, collection development librarian, Whatcom County Library System This is historical fiction done right – immersive and character-rich, a page-turner that’s faithful to the past even as it addresses larger issues that are still relevant today. As in her previous books, author Ariel Lawhon grounds this work in fact, drawing from Martha Ballard’s real-life notes and journals to recreate true events. It’s obvious to Martha that the rape and the murder are connected, and she slowly realizes that she might be the only one able to push for justice. ![]() ![]() The rape has not been brought to trial, and Martha is one of the few who seems to believe an assault occurred. The dead man is Joshua Burgess, who, along with another man, stands accused of raping a local woman. When she arrives, Martha is surprised to learn she’s been asked to examine a body found frozen in the icy Kennebec River earlier that morning. Midwife Martha Ballard is summoned to the town’s tavern to attend a patient. ![]()
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