The Mistress: Valerie Keogh’s latest thriller
If you think that Valerie Keogh’s The Mistress is simply a thriller about two grown women fighting over the same men, then you are wrong. It is about so much more. On the surface, and if you do not want to be a critical reader, then you can simply enjoy the catfight between two almost middle-aged women, Hannah and Susan, vying for the affection of the same somewhat handsome but a bit boring almost middle-aged man (Mark).
But The Mistress is about so much more…We first meet Hannah Parker, a somewhat unsympathetic, for lack of a more diplomatic word, scammer. She recounts her history of using men, especially from university onwards, sleeping with them for power, affection, attention, and yes, money…but not in that prostitute-like way. No, the money is more about keeping herself safe since it is clear from early on that her family, more specifically, her mother will not be stepping up to the plate for any sort of emotional or financial support.
In the first few chapters of the novel, we suffer with Hannah when her much older husband, Ivan, beats her. He’s angry because she lied about not taking birth control pills and he’s not afraid to unleash his rage on Hannah. It is while she is convalescing she happens upon an old photo of a boyfriend from university, Mark. She decides he is the one who got away, more because of how he made her feel rather than how she felt about him. Hannah makes it her mission to find Mark and steal him from his current wife, Susan, the human doormat.
While Hannah might be conniving, Susan is over-nurturing—to the point of driving her son from Bristol to Scotland to get away from her. These women are the flip sides of each other and their meeting point is their relationship with Mark. As the novel progresses, I believe that Mark becomes less important although both women see him as the ultimate prize in the beginning. He represents something to each woman that helps them see themselves in a better light. Through Hannah’s and Susan’s rivalry, each woman learns that their narrative belongs solely to them. Their story is only influenced by others.
Ultimately, one woman grows and evolves while the other does not believe in her future self quite enough. This novel is a psychological thriller in the sense that it is terrifying to address yourself and your hidden fears. Both women must do this to move forward in their respective lives. And while there is most certainly the threat and execution of some actual violence more than once in this story, the true terror is being able to strike out on your own and believe in yourself, without the aid of a man as an emotional and psychological prop. It is a good lesson for any woman to learn at any age.
Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.