A short passage before the main story draws us into the mystery and intrigue of The Apology. The passage is written in juvenile scrawl and secretly delivered to the recipient’s house, to his bedside table, tucked into a book he’s reading. No names are mentioned but a sexual act is hinted at. The recipient feels the presence and manipulation of the writer still touching him. Who is the recipient? Who is the writer, and what are they apologising for? As the psychological drama unfolds, we are led down many paths but we don’t discover the answers to these questions until the end.

Adrian, an English teacher who’s been working in a boy’s high school in Sydney for seven years, is feeling the onset of burnout. Alex, a Year 11 student, accuses Adrian of sexual misconduct. These allegations threaten to end his career. His life becomes isolated and tangled as his family begins to implode. His older brother, Noel, is a police officer, and an obsessive, secretive arsonist. The secrets buried in their childhood seriously affect how the brothers relate to each other and their families.

This is a page-turner. Although I thought Watkins introduced a few too many serious issues happening in one family, all the issues finally connect towards the end.

The Apology is an unsettling read. Watkins deals sensitively and deeply with sexuality, sexual misconduct, and the guilt that follows.

Reviewed by Judith Grace