ERRORS OF JUDGEMENT
Vicky Seagrave is the mother of three young children and wife to a successful man who absolutely dotes on her. Life is good until the day a split-second decision threatens to ruin everything she holds dear. What parent hasn’t left their baby alone in the house for a few minutes when a situation calls them away? There’s obvious relief when nothing bad occurs in their absence, except that Vicky isn’t so lucky and an awful situation is made even worse when she mistakenly confides in her best friend Amber. Can Amber be trusted to keep her secret, or is she manipulating the situation to destroy her friend’s life? One Little Mistake is a dark, psychological novel that skillfully explores issues around guilt, mental illness, motherhood and women judged to have contravened the rules of parenting.
At first Amber’s exploitation of Vicky is subtle, but as she tightens her grip her demands become more brazen and menacing. Amber is a relentless plotter and the anticipation of what she might or might not do next is riveting. She is an emotional parasite whose motives are predicated on jealousy and a warped sense of entitlement. In the cosy middle-class world of the suburbs where success is taken for granted, Amber is the outsider yearning to be let in. Her life is ruled by a burning desire for another child and dissatisfaction at being married to a man who has failed to live up to her expectations. In contrast Vicky’s life, which on the surface looks perfect, is the glittering prize at the end of the rainbow and Amber will stop at nothing to claim it for herself, regardless of the cost. One Little Mistake is a gripping novel that cleverly draws the reader into the workings of a broken, disturbed mind. The trauma of Amber’s early life should make her an obvious candidate for sympathy, yet she negates every claim to compassion because of her ruthlessness towards Vicky who crumbles under the impact. Can Vicky find the strength to defend her domestic territory, or will she throw in the towel and walk away?
This is a novel with good, vivid writing, and flashback sequences that bring depth to a tightly structured plot. There are no real clues as to how the characters in the past relate to those in the present and Curtis isn’t averse to launching the odd curveball to throw the scent off any possible answers. She is a writer completely in control of her narrative, with a gift for building nail biting drama into every scene culminating in an ending that is tragic, powerful, and immensely disturbing. One Little Mistake is an extremely readable novel with strong characters, taut writing, and themes that will resonate with a modern audience.
Reviewed by Juliette Foster
Why not add How to Make a Friend, When I Find You, The Night You Left, Invite Me In, and Keep Her Quiet to your Emma Curtis collection? Emma Curtis also writes as Fleur Smithwick.
Click on the covers to find out more about these books written by the author.
