A Review by Ruth Hunter of Bertrams

In this novel about memory and redemption, Maggie finds the courage to confront a childhood trauma, following the death of her mother. She gets a job working as a secretary for Kenneth, an eccentric rich man in his 60s, at his expansive house. Her task is to write down his feelings and recollections evoked by each track in his vast collection of music. But Maggie has an ulterior motive, as a child Kenneth’s son William was involved in a horrible event with her, something which has haunted her all her life. Azzopardi writes well on the effect of music on the mind, as the past floods back, both metaphorically and literally, for both Maggie and Kenneth, and Maggie finds her feelings betraying her resolve.