The Bungalow by Sarah Jio is not a traditional mystery, although there is a murder and many mysterious elements to ponder.
The book begins with a letter, nearly lost in a stack of unsolicited mail. It’s addressed to Mrs. Anna Godfrey, a woman in her seventies. Anna, no stranger to reoccurring memories, is suddenly swamped with a deluge of regrets and suppressed dark secrets when she sees the origin of the letter; Tahiti. For over 50 years Anna Calloway Godfrey has returned again, again, in her mind, to the beautiful tropical island of Bora Bora and the deserted, hidden, bungalow on the sundrenched beach.
In 1942, young Anna, and her best friend, Kitty, leave the comfort of home to serve as Army nurses at a base on Bora Bora. There begins an engaging, twisted tale of love; love for Gerald, Anna’s childhood sweetheart, and love for Westry Green, a handsome solider. It’s a story about misplaced trust, guilt, and following one’s heart despite the consequences.
Is it ever too late for lost love? Too late to bring justice to a criminal? Only a trip, with granddaughter Jennifer, back to the isle of her memories can answer these questions. Does the romantic artist’s bungalow still stand? Will its secret mailbox hold the key to closure for Anna, Kitty, and Westry?
Despite Sarah Jio’s reliance on sometimes far-fetched coincidences The Bungalow is worth the read. If you have ever thought about paths not taken; words not spoken; secrets kept-and what would have happened ‘if’. . .then this book is for you.
