Karen Bloom is proud to call herself a tiger mother. To her, tough discipline if the true art of parenting and a child's achievement leads to ultimate happiness. She expects her daughter, Bronte, to perform at 200% and holds her husband, son and step-daughter to the same standard (although the three of them never measure up). However, in her unending quest for excellence, some cracks are starting to show in the veneer of a seemingly flawless family.
When Bronte disappears, Karen puts the blame solely on her stepdaughter, Verity. However, for all of Verity's flaws, she would never harm Bronte. Noel, Karen's husband, takes Verity's side, although he finds it hard to stand up to his wife. Instead, he finds comfort in alcohol and other women. So who is to blame?
It's hard to write much about this book without revealing spoilers. Suffice to say, it's a tale of ambition, coldly calculated manipulation, power struggles, and the illusions of perfection. I continue to find Paula Daly an author I enjoy, and this book was no exception. There are compelling characters, including a Detective Constable who has appeared as an investigator her other books, and while Daly maintains a tensely paced and plotted book, there's always some bit of sly humor that I really love.
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