We Are Unknown

by Janet Jones

Can a lie sometimes be easier to accept than the facts? What about a whole pile of lies? We want those around us to be honest - but uncovering the reality can sometimes be devastating … And sometimes, it can be far worse than that. Alice longs for excitement. She is bored with her mundane life as a 1950s housewife, particularly after her wartime role as a WAAF, and after their initial honeymoon period, her husband Teddy seems to pay her little attention. Alice wants more from life, but when she starts to put together the apparent “clues” that Teddy is having an affair she uncovers far more than she either expected or wanted. Nevertheless, Alice is determined to find out the truth, and begins to delve further into her husband’s life. Evidence of an affair may be thin on the ground, but documents which Alice happens upon raise bigger questions – both about her husband and the work he is involved with. When Alice enlists the help of a friend to throw more light on what she has found, the facts which are revealed are extremely disturbing. Meanwhile, Alice’s own life is not without its mysteries, and an interfering mother-in-law tries to bring to light facts which Alice would rather were kept hidden. Convinced that she has overcome that particular problem, Alice decides she will follow Teddy on his work trip to Devon. Even this is not straightforward; her journey is not without incident, and it takes another friend, Lucy, to set Alice on the right road, but in doing so she reveals an evident truth, which Alice herself is reluctant to acknowledge. Eventually arriving in the West Country, Alice sets about tracking down Teddy. After several false starts Alice finds her husband, but not in the situation she expected, and she is devastated by what she uncovers. While she is still trying to come to terms with this, a serious incident occurs, and, in trying to overcome it, tragedy strikes. Meanwhile, Teddy is also caught up in the incident, but eventually escapes and manages to meet up with his superior. During their subsequent debrief it is evident that there is far more to the event then Teddy has realised, and it is obvious that those around him have had more of a hand in events than he could have imagined. Back home, Teddy is forced to consider the outcomes of his actions, and has to deal with anonymous letters which reveal a truth he struggles to contemplate. With the help of his employers he manages to “put right” an evident wrong, but not without outside pressure. Was Alice correct in her suspicions, and was she right to follow her husband … or does this decision change things for ever? Read on to find out! Extract from “We Are Unknown” “The wireless was still playing as she walked back into the house – but there was no sign of Teddy. She turned the dial and switched off the dance band, but the silence was immediately too much; she flicked it back on and waited for it to spark into life again, all the time still churning Teddy’s words over in her head. They had crept up on her and begun strangling her, the minute they had left Teddy’s lips. She knew it was running away – and she had promised herself that she wouldn’t run away – but she needed to breathe, and so she had gone anyway, walking silently from his sight.”

339 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2020

Reviews

[Susan Hind · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good first novel - nb the others mentioned on this page are not by the same Janet Jones.
It captures the atmosphere of the 50's; a page turning good read involving a real event of which most of us may not have heard.

[Fenja Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, evoking life in the 1950s and the expectations and restrictions placed by society on both men and women. The blending of fiction with details of a genuine tragedy is cleverly done and the central characters are rounded and believable.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Went to Lynmouth and purchased the book as I love books set in Devon. Took me one day to read it was brilliant !!!!
Really enjoyed this book.