Jacqueline Maley is an award winning journalist most recently known for her stories exposing a High Court judge with a decades long history of sexual harassment in the workplace. The Truth About Her is her first novel and it is one of my favourite books, if not favourite, of recent times.
Suzy Hamilton is 40, a single mother and successful journalist who writes a story exposing a wellness blogger who spins a yarn about having cured herself of cancer using natural foods and remedies (clearly a nod to the Belle Gibson story). Things get a bit crazy after the story is published and Suzy's personal life starts to go awry and her journalistic career implodes. All this while raising her three year old daughter Maddy.
Part one of the book is straight out hilarious as Suzy bounces around trying to keep her life straight with some of the funniest parts being her interactions with Maddy. There's lots of laugh out loud moments between mother and daughter and the dreaded 'mothers in the park' with their pre-cut celery sticks and sugar free drinks for their children.
Jacqueline Maley writes in a spirited style which got me hooked from the first paragraph. There are big themes explored though, such as who gets to the tell the story of a life and why is it the 'disgraced' woman loses her career and the male boss lands another job elsewhere and keeps his wife. Questions to ponder.
This book comes highly recommended for anyone who can read. Until next time, peace and love.
