The Photograph by Penelope Lively

The Photograph

Penelope Lively

Several years after Kath's death, Glyn, her husband, finds a photograph of her holding hands with another man. There are many views of Kath in this novel but did any of these people, all of whom believed themselves to be close to her, actually know her? I really enjoyed this read, and found it ultimately shocking and very sad.

Extract
'What I need to know -' he says.
You'd be a damn sight better off not knowing, thinks Oliver. Just leave it alone. Nothing to be done about it now. All over with. And, no, I don't know how long it went on for and I don't want to know and nor should you. It's nothing to do with me, never was. Anyone would think I was some sort of accessory to the crime.
Parallels
  • And When Did You Last See Your Father? by Blake Morrison
  • The End of the Affair by Graham Greene