A Hidden Affair
by Pam Jenoff
Sphere pp320
ISBN: 978-0751543629

Pam Jenoff’s latest novel, A Hidden Affair, is sure to appeal to a wide variety of fiction readers. It is the sequel to Almost Home (Washington Square Press, 2009), which looks at Jordan’s discovery of her college sweetheart’s survival 10 years after faking his own death in Cambridge and her narrow escape from the enemies who were out to silence him. Knowing that Jared is alive, in A Hidden Affair, Jordan leaves her job and sets out to track him down because she wants to see him again.

A Hidden Affair is a romantic suspense in which the heroine never gives up her search for the truth. Like its prequel Almost Home, it has a plot with several twists and turns as Jordan struggles to find answers to a truth that threatens to change her life. It is a very descriptive text with an appealing atmosphere and the same sense of urgency that made Almost Home such an exciting text.

Two characters have been added to this sequel. These include the blonde and elegant Nicole Short who Jordan meets when she goes to Jared’s last known whereabouts and the mysterious Ari who is chasing Nicole for his own enigmatic reasons.

Together, Ari and Nicole add flavour and mystery to the book. However, it is the relationship between Israeli Ari and Jewish American Jordan which is the novel’s strongest element. Despite their initial conflict, their shared heritage ignites a spark and what surfaces, through their characters, is the recurring questions of whether we can ever let go of our past lives and loves and whether the truth can set us free from ghosts from the past that continue to haunt us.

In A Hidden Affair, things are not what they seem as Jordan makes some shocking discoveries about Jared as well as herself. Both Jordan and Ari are in search of answers and the element of trust is highlighted within a story line that is filled with lies, betrayal and tales that spin deeper and deeper. Moreover, instead of seeing Jordan aimlessly looking for Jared, Nicole’s troubles provide the story with a subplot which frames Jordan’s quest to find Jared. This subplot makes the search for Jared and Nicole a lot greater than the personal task it was at the start. It also pulls readers into the dark world of espionage, fraud and secret lies.

Just as with Almost Home, Ms Jenoff includes a World War II connection, intriguing characters, and plenty of action. However, unlike its prequel which highlights the notion of coming to terms with the past, as Ms Jenoff states in her conclusion, A Hidden Affair allows us to reflect upon the future and the destiny we shape for ourselves out of the unexpected and poignant moments of our lives.

It is best to read Almost Home and A Hidden Affair in successive order rather than as stand-alone novels. This is because thus, we see the evolution of Jordan’s character. When she thought Jared was dead, she was able to freeze him in time and put him on a pedestal. However, she is forced to rethink their relationship once she learns that he is alive. Even if Jared was trying to protect her, he still chose to live a life without her whereas she was unable to form any significant relationships. Thus, A Hidden Affair is not about rekindling past relationships or exploring new ones. Instead, we see the growth of Jordan as she lets go of the past and learns to live again.

• Ms Montanaro has a PhD in British Surrealism and Psychoanalysis from the University of Edinburgh.

This book is available at Word for Word.