“As a young mum I lived in Samoa for two years in the 1960s. During that time I wrote a fortnightly newsletter for broadcast by Radio New Zealand. I still have the faded carbon copies of those scripts. A snapshot of those interesting times when Samoa was newly independent. Some characters from Landings find themselves in Samoa and some of the events happen in the South Island. I was exploring the question of truth: how important is it to share unpalatable biological truths with your family?”
A novel that explores love and lies amidst the tropical beauty and exuberance of Samoa.
Elena catches a glimpse of her friend Jeanie Roper in a New Zealand art gallery. It is twenty-three years since Jeanie suddenly disappeared. They had been close when Jeanie lived in Samoa with her bullying husband and gentle father. But why is Jeanie hiding her identity? Elena is intrigued to discover Jeanie has a daughter who is unaware of her Samoan ancestry. There are family secrets here – possibly dangerous ones – that Elena is determined to uncover.
Inheritance is a novel of contrasts: the tropical beauty and exuberance of Samoa in the 1960s; and the dark violence that arises from the conflict between truthfulness and love.
Jenny Pattrick 