Secrets and Lies — Hannah Howe

Secrets and Lies â€" Suicide or Murder? Most of the people I encounter are hiding a secret and many of them are adept at telling lies. However, how do you learn the truth about someone who's no longer with us? Author, Barclay Quinton wrote Fabringjay, the story of a man leading a secret life during the Second World War, which was well received by the critics, but was ignored by readers; and Illicit Lust, a book he hated and wrote purely to satisfy his agent and publisher. Illicit Lust became a bestseller, a fact that annoyed Barclay. However, its success did open doors and he set about researching his next novel, the story of an ageing mobster. Barclay's research brought him into contact with many unsavoury types, including villains, shady private eyes and managers of strip clubs. The official report into Barclay's death stated that he committed suicide. However, a close friend insisted that Barclay was murdered and I was hired to investigate. Meanwhile, closer to home, I discovered a secret, and the truth, about my long-term partner. Was he the man of my dreams or was our relationship about to end? Secrets and Lies â€" a story of love, of deceit, of the many faces we all possess â€" the public face, the private face and the deeply personal.