A good teacher can change lives...
Every evening, Allison watches her husband's new house, desperate to find some answers. Every morning, she puts on a brave face to teach kindergarten. She's a good teacher, everyone says so - this stalking is just a tiny crack in her usual self-control.
A late enrolment into her class brings little Gracie - sick and grieving. Allison takes the girl and her father, Luke, under her wing. She smothers Gracie with the love she can't give her own son. As others question her judgement and the police arrive at her door, Allison starts to wonder if she can trust herself.
When Gracie has a chance to go to America for treatment, Allison leads the school in a fundraising drive. But has she crossed a line?
How far will the good teacher go to save a life? And whose life will that be?
An intriguing tale of our times about kindness and betrayal, and the danger of good deeds.
Praise for SIX MINUTES
'Impossible to put down and full of twists and turns you won't see coming! I loved this fabulous debut novel.' Liane Moriarty, bestselling author of Nine Perfect Strangers
'A beautiful, exciting one-of-a-kind. The writing is tight and addictive, and the storyline and characters cross and counter-cross right to the very last page.' Herald Sun
'With a compelling cast of characters and a riveting plot, Six Minutes is an engrossing thriller.' (Book'd Out)
A great new Australian suspense - thriller
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Petronella McGovern's latest offering (published 1 September 2020), The Good Teacher. This was an engrossing read with great character development and plenty of surprises.
The story unfolds from three main perspectives and he characters who make up the cast of the book and their interrelationships are sensitively and enthrallingly developed. As a female reader in her 40's, I predictably identified most with the character of Allison - the titular Good Teacher - and felt her desolation and sense of dislocation at the unexpected end of her marriage were handled masterfully by the author. Maz at first appears a somewhat ditsy and self-centred young woman in the well-worn millenial mould. However, in McGovern's hands, she is developed into a sympathetic and multi-dimensional character who is faced with some pretty tough life lessons over the course of the book.
The Good Teacher is a strong character-driven drama with a complex and intriguing plot and plenty of surprises for the reader. It's a cautionary tale for the modern age, which leaves an enduring message of the power and importance of kindness and human relationships.
Very highly recommended for readers who enjoy contemporary suspense and thriller literature, and also afficionados of quality women's literature in the vein of Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies and The Husband's Secret - Moriarty's readers will find the Northern Beaches setting of The Good Teacher familiar.
My thanks to the author and publisher, Allen & Unwin Australia, for the opportunity to read and review an uncorrected proof of this title in the lead-up to its publication.
Sarah, 02/09/2020
