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An Invisible Tattoo

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When a last collection of songs by British musical icon, James Bennett, is discovered in an old Somerset house, rumours about his mysterious death during a wild midsummer party more than fifty years ago begin to swirl again. An accident? Suicide? Or murder?

The only person still alive who knows what happened is frail but indomitable Ruth Henderson. She now lives in a Sydney apartment, but back in 1972 she was staying in Somerset with her closest friend, Adela McMahon, who was married to James.

From very different backgrounds, Ruth and Adela became inseparable while growing up in an isolated New South Wales rural town. And they longed to escape. Adela fled first, to the bright lights and hectic whirl of swinging London, where she soon met James. But all was not as gilded as it seemed. Ruth was a witness to her beloved friend's tempestuous and troubling relationship - and she was by Adela's side the night James died.

Journalists are clamouring to hear Ruth's story. Of them all, Ruth chooses young and ambitious Kate Griffin, who will do anything to boost her career. But as the past and the present begin to collide, an unexpected friendship grows between the two women and deciding what really matters proves life changing for them both.

Moving between contemporary Australia and England in 1972, and between the worlds of Ruth and Kate, this compelling novel explores the inextinguishable power and joy of friendship.

PRAISE FOR THE HOUSEKEEPER:
"...a rip-roaring story of shocking betrayal and childhood trauma" Lisa Jewell
"Gorgeous writing, wonderful characterization, immersive atmosphere and a final twist that I did not see coming!" Kate Moretti
"Mesmerizing suspense" Publishers Weekly
"Highly anticipated ... nuanced and nail-biting" Good Housekeeping

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2025

5 people are currently reading
93 people want to read

About the author

Suellen Dainty

5 books58 followers
I worked as a journalist and television producer after leaving university. It never occurred to me to write fiction. Like many working single mothers, I was too busy and too tired to try for anything more.
But my two children grew up. Finally I could ditch the day job. I moved from London to a small farm in Somerset, where I ran a B and B and learned how to be a short order cook and iron mountains of bedlinen very quickly. I also studied creative writing at the University of Oxford and at Bath Spa University.Then a fight against breast cancer gave me the impetus I needed. No time to lose!
At the age of 62, my first novel, After Everything, was published by Simon and Schuster in the U.S. and by Picador in Australia. I'm currently writing my second, in between looking out the window at my sheep and my hens.

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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Poppy H.
34 reviews1 follower
March 19, 2025
Superb. Deep. Women-centric.

An Invisible Tattoo tells the story of Ruth, spanning from her youth in Australia to her twenties in England and finally to her old age back in Australia. The narrative also weaves in the perspective of Kate, a journalist interviewing Ruth about her time in Somerset in 1972—particularly the night when singer James Bennet died in the middle of a dazzling party.

I absolutely loved this book for several reasons, but first and foremost, Ruth’s character—her life, her choices, and her sharp, often humorous remarks. Kate, on the other hand, is someone still searching for herself when she meets Ruth, and she evolves into a person I never would have expected at the beginning—but I was so happy to see her become. Beyond the beautifully told story of two women at vastly different stages of life, this is a tale of friendship, growth, betrayal, and love. I cried happy tears, and this is a book that will stay with me for a long time.

There was nothing I disliked—the writing was both beautiful and masterful—but I do want to give a word of caution. Often, trauma is internalized and normalized, meaning that survivors can shift from talking about the weather to something deeply painful in the same breath, without warning. This book explores significant trauma: child abuse, rape, pregnancy loss, domestic abuse, and drug abuse. If any of these topics are triggering for you, please proceed with caution. That said, An Invisible Tattoo does not dwell in trauma—it focuses on moving forward and healing.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Echo Publishing, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. An Invisible Tattoo will be published on April 1, 2025.

#AnInvisibleTattoo #NetGalley
Profile Image for Veronica ⭐️.
1,338 reviews291 followers
June 5, 2025
An Invisible Tattoo is a powerful story of female friendship, long held secrets and the ongoing battle for equality for women.

Narrated by both Ruth and Kate in Contemporary Sydney and a second timeline of Somerset 1972 is narrated through Ruth's reminiscence.

I loved that we got both Ruth and Kate's point of view. They are very similar in personality. Ruth shows that old and frail doesn't necessarily mean senile. She's stringing Kate along and knows exactly what she's doing. She enjoys the company and she wants to prolong Kate's visits.

An Invisible Tattoo has an underlying mystery surrounding Bennett's death. It is also a story about working out what you want in life and Dainty throws in a moral dilemma for Kate to ponder. I enjoyed Kate's character growth.

The twist at the end was unexpected and certainly added weight to the themes included.
Profile Image for Suz.
1,568 reviews871 followers
April 8, 2025
Thank you Echo for this beauty!
I love a book doesn’t match up with anything I’ve read before.

Ruth and Kate are decades apart in age, with each a story to tell. Ruth retells the story of a murder in a heady time of her youth, 1970’s England to young Kate, a Sydney journalist trying to find the underlying cause of this story that will make her career. Ruth is the only one alive who can recount the story surrounding the death of an iconic singer. The lives in this era are so enmeshed, fraught and frantic.

She’s vivid though guarded in her memories, enjoying drip feeding and controlling the events, while slowly telling the reader of a deep friendship and love. Sad and swarming with memories as she holds her version of events close to her chest, disallowing Kate to get ahead with the story.

Kate has her own issues dealing with an entitled unemployed partner, while commuting from the city to Katoomba. I felt drawn in by my proximity to the location. The older woman is biting in her observations. The ‘sharp white teeth’ of Kate who is constantly searching for the red button on the phone.

Drugs, alcohol, infidelities, and jealousies come across authentically, a perfect example of show versus telling. Beautifully written, astute. Many observations from both women toward their surroundings and lives were simple yet breathtaking.

Ruth and ‘her clever spikiness’, this is a special story of friendship and love, not bound by a single generation and an impenetrable bond of the womanhood. Both women’s lives so much richer, due to the other.

This is a book of drama told completely without any. Bereft of anything saccharine, and full of a richness hard to pinpoint, while being clearly evident. I highly recommend this one. The words are chosen with care, imparting quite a profound feeling.

‘Adela and I could never work out why men disliked women so much’

I’m off to read Simone de Beauvour’s The Second Sex now!
502 reviews16 followers
April 1, 2025
Suellen Dianty’s An Invisible Tattoo is a beautifully crafted novel that intertwines mystery, nostalgia, and the enduring power of friendship. Set across two timelines—1972 England and present-day Australia—the story unravels the decades-old secrets surrounding the mysterious death of British music icon James Bennett, exploring love, betrayal, and the weight of past choices.

At the heart of the novel is Ruth Henderson, a frail but formidable woman who holds the truth about what really happened that fateful midsummer night when James died. She was there alongside her best friend, Adela, James’s wife, witnessing the turbulent relationship between the glamorous couple. Now, as a long-lost collection of James’s songs resurfaces, old wounds are reopened, and journalists are eager for Ruth’s account. She chooses Kate Griffin, an ambitious young reporter desperate for a breakthrough, and their unexpected bond becomes the emotional core of the story.

Dianty’s writing is immersive and evocative, transporting readers from the glittering yet troubled world of 1970s London to the quieter but equally complex present. The novel balances its elements masterfully—blending intrigue with deeply personal reflections on friendship, loyalty, and the ways in which the past shapes the present. Ruth’s and Kate’s evolving relationship adds emotional depth, making the novel more than just a mystery; it’s a meditation on resilience and the importance of human connection.

For fans of dual-timeline narratives, music-infused mysteries, and stories of female friendship, An Invisible Tattoo is a compelling and lyrical read. With its richly drawn characters and poignant storytelling, it lingers in the mind long after the final page.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
480 reviews3 followers
August 29, 2025
“An Invisible Tattoo” is a mystery novel, but author Suellen Dainty’s main preoccupation seems to be with exploring the bonds and holds of friendship. Although it held no great surprises, I found it an absorbing and warm novel which contains a surprising amount of hope given some of the darker aspects of the plot.

The novel uses the mystery of James’ death as a focus, with-holding critical information from the reader as well as Kate for as long as possible. It’s obvious pretty early that the official story is probably untrue, but it’s not clear at all what the real truth is. This isn’t a particularly tricky mystery, but it felt credible and I believed the ultimate reveal.

More importantly, Ruth is reflecting on her life long friendship with Adela. How they helped each other, how they might sometimes have damaged each other, and the costs and benefits of such a long, close friendship between two very different people.

As I said, I found this very absorbing and thoroughly enjoyed it. There’s nothing very new here, but Dainty tells her story well and with a lot of empathy for the characters. Even the less admirable characters are very understandable, and drawn with a vividness that makes them memorable.

This is a novel that will be enjoyed by readers looking for something thoughtful, or something more interested in character or relationships than in action. This is a novel that feels quiet, despite the sometimes frenetic 1970s timeline. It tells a good story, and ends on a very satisfying note.

If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
An edited version of this review first appeared on www.beautyandlace.net as part of their bookclub.
Profile Image for Emma Moon.
74 reviews1 follower
Read
May 6, 2025
'An Invisible Tattoo' by Suellen Dainty explores the bonds of friendship formed in childhood that withstand many life altering events.
Ruth Henderson is nearing the end of her life and the only one who is still alive that was present at a wild party the night talented British musician James Bennett died, Bennett was also her best friend Adela's husband.
More than 50 years have past, but the past is dragged up again when a collection of Bennett's unrealsed songs are found in the house he once lived.
Journalists are like voltures to Ruth all wanting her story, she has no desire to talk to any of them until young Kate Griffin's request piques her interest, young and ambitious she's looking to advance her career.
A friendship forms between the two and they become to enjoy each other's company, so much so it has Kate questioning not only where her loyalties lie in writting this story but where her present life is heading.
Skipping between the past and present it's a predictable plot, there's no big surprises but it's well written and keeps you interested and turning the pages for more of the story.
I quite enjoyed reading this book, thanks Beuty and Lace and Echo publishing for the copy to read and review.
1 review
April 9, 2025
This is one of the most enjoyable novels I have read in a long time. I was gripped from the first page, but it wasn’t just the suspense and mystery that kept me engaged. The characters are relatable and nuanced, and the lyrical writing makes the entire book a pleasure to read. The novel reflects thoughtfully on a range of pertinent issues, such as generation differences and relationship dynamics as they have changed (or not) over the last fifty or more years. As someone in their late thirties, it was eye-opening to gain some insight, through the lens of Ruth, into the intimate experience and social dynamics of the elder generation in the transformative seventies. It was both moving and inspiring to see Ruth reckoning with her past (and present), reflecting on the decisions she made and the lessons she has learned, and likewise to see Kate growing into herself.
Profile Image for BookishVocab.
83 reviews
March 18, 2025
An Invisible Tattoo is a layered and complex story. While slow-paced at the start the last third of the book picks up pace as revelations and events conclude. This pace matches Kate's experience of patiently and painstakingly working to gain Ruth's trust and story. The characters are interesting, multifaceted and at times difficult and complicated. Ruth and Adela's friendship is a focus of the story and shapes the events of both character's lives. The dual point of view of Ruth and the interviewer, Kate adds to the story and allows for a pleasing resolution to the story among the final twists and turns.

Thank you to Better Reading Australia for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Renee Hermansen.
161 reviews4 followers
April 24, 2025
Thanks to Beauty and Lace and Echo Publishing for my copy of this wonderful book to read and review.

I loved how it was written and the whole story. It was set in London and Sydney. The author’s description of the settings was perfect.

Ruth Henderson lived with a secret from 1972 for many years. Kate Griffin, a budding journalist, wants Ruth’s story to set to her career in motion.
Ruth trusts Kate but will Kate sell her out?

Although there is darkness in the book, it is a beautiful story about friendship. Also that doing the right thing, despite the consequences, will give you peace.

I would highly recommend this book.
1 review
April 29, 2025
I loved it! Another sharply-written and closely imagined novel from one of my favourite authors. Suellen Dainty has a gift for sensory, sensual writing and strong storytelling. In An Invisible Tattoo, parallel narratives each hurtle along with strong character voices. It's suspenseful and immersive, the story moving easily between past and present. Without giving too much away, just when you think you know what happened, all those years ago, to Brit music icon James Bennett, and how his last collection of songs came to be 'lost', Dainty skilfully leads the story an an unexpected direction. Prepare yourself for some masterful storytelling.
Profile Image for Kim.
67 reviews2 followers
July 10, 2025
This was beautifully woven. A mix of historical fiction and mystery. 3 timelines and two narrators. It was such an interesting look at two girls growing up in rural Australia, from different walks of life their friendship maintained through everything. Following them across the ocean to late 60’s/early 70’s England and the current timeline of a journalist interviewing this woman about the life she has lived.
The experience and perspective of the journalist interviewing her and what was going on in her life was also intriguing.
Profile Image for Ann.
420 reviews
September 30, 2025
An ambitious journalist, Kate, is chosen to hear the story of James Bennett, a British musical icon whose death remains a mustery, and whose last collection of songs has recently been discovered. Ruth was the best friend of James' wife Adela and with her when he died. As Ruth and Kate talk about the past, their relationship becomes closer and ultimately they both have to decide what matters most in their lives. Interesting, complex and moving.
63 reviews
March 25, 2025
Thanks again to Better Reading for an intriguing advance copy to get my teeth into: Loved how everything became clearer to Kate at the very end (& then she heads for home). The significance of that might be missed by anyone not familiar with Sydney, but I appreciated it, & I like to think she set the record straight
59 reviews1 follower
March 1, 2025
Privileged to have a preview copy. There are so many complicated relationships. Absolutely loved it.
Profile Image for Kristen K.
27 reviews2 followers
June 4, 2025
*Thank you to Better Reading and Echo Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC. The following is my honest review*

‘The sound of our words is the song line of our hearts…’
It has been a long time since I have read a book that gives me all the cozy vintage vibes like An Invisible Tattoo has done. The author has not only captured the heart of vintage 70’s London but evoked a sense of whimsy in the retelling of the main characters story. She has weaved the two timelines of modern Australia and 1970’s England together in an almost flawless way, making the transition from modern day to memories of a past time easy and enjoyable to read. Mentioning great musicians like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen made the storyline even more relatable, as did the description of childhood in 1960’s Australia.
The story of friendship is strong throughout reminding the reader that although relationships are complex and sometimes fraught with trauma, true friendship (even if unexpected) will persevere and survive all odds. A highly enjoyable read that left my heart aching for the female protagonists but also left me smiling with warmth and understanding.
Profile Image for Sue Thorpe.
121 reviews3 followers
May 29, 2025

This novel, set between modern day Australia and 1970s England, is truly beautiful. It is a mystery but also a deeply moving story about strong women, friendship, love and betrayal.

It is written with profound insights into the relationships women have with each other. Yes, it discusses infidelities, jealousies, drugs and alcohol, but focusses on the moving on and the healing.

Ruth is a wonderful character, the hero of the book. She is complex - strong, sharp, fiercely independent and spiky and also warm, witty, compassionate, generous and loving. Though many decades apart, her and Kate, a journalist looking for her big break whilst also dealing with her own personal problems, slowly connect.

Kate, still young, immature and unsure of herself, is desperate for the story surrounding the death of 70s singing sensation ,James Bennett. He died at a glamorous party 50 years ago - a party that Ruth attended at the home of her best friend Adela, who was James wife. Ruth is now the last person alive able to recount the moments leading up to James death. She agrees to tell her story but does so guardedly, carefully controlling the pace and content, much to Kate’s frustration.

As the story slowly unfolds, the friendship between them blossoms. As Ruth’s story is broken down, Kate’s story is being rebuilt.

This is a beautifully written, rich and rewarding read.

Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

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