Messy mess mess. [The Dilemma by B.A. Paris]

A woman's birthday party takes a dark turn in a poignant, heart-stopping new novel from the reigning queen of suspense, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors, The Breakdown, and Bring Me Back.

“A heartbreaking page-turner that will have you up at night reading just one more chapter.” —Catherine Steadman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water

“The phenomenal B. A. Paris has done it again! I devoured The Dilemma in one sitting—it grabbed me from the very first page and wouldn’t let go until I’d finished. Secrets, guilt, shame and heartbreak—this story has it all in spades.”—Sandie Jones, New York Times bestselling author of The Other Woman

Knowing the truth will destroy her. Keeping it secret will destroy him. 

It’s Livia’s 40th birthday, and her husband Adam is throwing her the party of a lifetime to make up for the wedding they never had. Everyone she loves will be there, except her daughter Marnie, who’s studying abroad. But Livia is secretly glad Marnie won’t be there.

Livia has recently uncovered a secret about their daughter which, if revealed, will shake the foundation of their family to its core. She needs to tell Adam, but she’s waiting until the party is over so they can have this last happy time together.

Adam, meanwhile, has his own surprise for Livia: he’s arranged for Marnie to secretly fly back for the party. But before Marnie arrives, Adam hears some terrible news. Now he too is faced with a dilemma: Does he share what he's learned with his wife? Is hiding the truth the same as telling a lie? And how far are Adam and Livia willing to go to protect the ones they love—and give each other a last few hours of happiness?

Is married life just a bed of tense secrets? Deciding if and when to share life changing news? That's not something I aspire to. Who would want that? 

B.A. Paris' The Dilemma starts off a bit middling in terms of suspense and action. Very meticulous, perhaps at times overly so, details build up to a crescendo of risk. What is the truth? Is there a possible happy ending? 

As I read I kept asking myself, are these British sensibilities? The characters, overly polite and with too much thought for appearances, didn't blow the scene up like American characters might have. Who acts like this? Who are the people to find these actions appropriate? It was the story of a tragedy entangled with lies and secrets. But I enjoyed it. 4 stars from me.

The Dilemma was published June 2020.