Martina Torres has never felt like she belonged. Her social climbing mother and hardworking father ensured that she was educated at a prestigious school in New York. Coming from a working-class background and being half Argentinian she was always on the outer at school. Even when she married into a wealthy Manhattan family she struggled fitting in.
When she moves with her husband to Hong Kong, a whole new world opens to her. A fortuitous meeting with the rich, beautiful, and powerful Veronica Hawkins changes her life forever. Veronica takes her under her wing and introduces Martina into her world. Veronica’s name opens doors, and now they are opening for Martina. Veronica helps Martina become the person she always wanted to be.
However, Veronica has her own demons. Her parents and younger sister tragically drowned in a boating accident when she was 19, leaving her orphaned and sole heiress to the Hawkins business. While at a charity boating event Veronica falls overboard and drowns. Was it a tragic accident or something sinister? Did someone want Veronica Hawkins dead?
The first part of the book is told through Martina’s rose-tinted glasses: Veronica’s life, their meeting and ensuing friendship. The second part exposes the real Veronica and, more importantly, the real Martina.
The story in The Many Lies of Veronica Hawkins revolves around the sense of belonging, of finding one’s place in the world while fulfilling other people’s expectations of you. It vividly brings to life the exotic and exciting city of Hong Kong. A fantastic read from cover to cover.
Reviewed by Joanne Brewer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kristina has been a bookworm for as long as she can remember and has a decade of experience in publishing as both an author and an agent. She was born and raised in the Big Apple by an Argentine dad and a Norwegian mum, speaking three languages at home. Her multicultural upbringing instilled her with a profound desire to experience the world and she has now lived in nine countries on three continents.
Her first great literary love was Arthurian legend which led her to reading Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic studies for her BA and completing a PhD in Medieval Literature at the University of Cambridge. In between she pursued an MA in French Cultural Studies at Columbia University and then worked as a translator and women’s rights lobbyist in Paris. Kristina switched gears into journalism after her PhD, heading out to China in the run up to the 2008 Olympics.
Kristina has also written several novels for young adults. Kristina’s first novel for adults is The Many Lies of Veronica Hawkins.
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