Image
Jojo Harvey is a hotshot literary agent, Lily Wright a literary sensation, and Gemma Hogan an events organiser whose father has just walked out on her mother. These three very different women are the heroines of Marian Keyes's unputdownable new novel, The Other Side of the Story (Poolbeg, €19.99). Lily was once Gemma's best friend but the friendship ended when Lily moved to London and "stole" the love of Gemma's life. Gemma's resentment isn't helped either when Lily, with Jojo as her agent, writes a sweet little book which becomes a huge hit. When the charisÂmatic Jojo reads Gemma's tragi-comic e-mails detailing her parents' separation, she offers to become her agent and Gemma sees the perfect way to have her revenge on Lily - to be an even more successful writer than her former friend. Meanwhile, Lily is struggling with both her new book and her new house, while Jojo is trying to negotiate both business and her relationship with her married boss ... but things don't quite work out as planned for any of the trio. Keyes deftly blends darkness and light with her usual skill and, while The Other Side of the Story doesn't offer as many laughs as some of her previous novels, it's still a witty, utterly engaging, often touching book by one of Ireland's best writers. Highly recommended.