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A Novel
by Nicholas Edlin
Peter Sokol, an artist living in San Diego, is haunted by his past. In 1943, Captain Sokol is a surgeon in the U.S. Marines stationed in Auckland, New Zealand, where he and his longtime nemesis have fallen in love with the same beautiful and enigmatic woman, Emily Walters. Dismissive of Emily's suspiciously British mother and violent brother, the two vie for her hand. When Emily's brother is discovered murdered, Sokol is the prime suspect. As he fights to prove his innocence, he finds that the woman he loves is not who she seems, and that the blood of another might be on his hands.
Paperback original
"Edlin is able to seamlessly transport the reader to and from the present day... The writing is spare, beautifully crafted and the research impeccable... A pleasure to read." - Taranaki Daily News (New Zealand)
"You're quite likely to be swept along by the impetus and enigmas of the plot... A novel with vivid character sketches, muscly dialogue, energetic movement." - Weekend Herald (New Zealand)
"This is a strong debut novel for Nicholas Edlin. It is an unusual story of betrayal and love, set in a colourful time in Auckland. The author's strong characters and gradual release of information keep the reader engaged right to the end." - Timaru Herald (New Zealand)
"[An] accomplished debut novel... Edlin recreates a vivid tableau of an Auckland reeling from the impact of American military presence... it pulses with a realism that is enhanced by the depth of characterization... At times stark, delicate, subtle and savage." - Waikato Times (New Zealand)
"The novel creates a sense of war time Auckland, in particular the tension between US forces and the locals... an enjoyable, relaxed, mild mystery thriller." - Southland Times (New Zealand)
"Engrossing and with a delicious air of mystery, it's so much more than a war story. The writing is muscular, the characters are fascinating and the central themes of love and obsession are complex and compelling. A terrific read." - Amanda Hodginkinson, New York Times bestselling author of 22 Britannia Road
"A novel of epic proportions: an unforgettable story of doomed passionate love... it will sweep you away and transport you to another time, another place, and in the process perhaps ever so slightly adjust the way you view the world." - Linda Olsson, author of Astrid & Veronika
This information about The Widow's Daughter was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Nicholas Edlin was born and raised in Christchurch and lived for some time in Korea. He has a BA in English and Politics from Canterbury University, and a LLB (First Class Honours) from Victoria University. He has worked as a solicitor in Wellington and Auckland, and as a legal adviser at the Treasury Solicitor's Department in London. Edlin's first novel, The Widow's Daughter, was described by Iain Sharpe as "the New Zealand debut novel of 2010".
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