I absolutely adored Patricia Volk's memoir, Stuffed, so I was excited to read her latest novel, To My Dearest Friends. Set in New York, it's written in a strange and conversational style that I found took a bit of getting used to, but once I was used to it, I couldn't put it down and read it in a day.
It's the story of Alice Vogel and Nanny Wunderlich, who don't know each other, but were each the best friend of Roberta, who has recently died of cancer. They meet when they're both called to Roberta's solicitor's office and given the key to Roberta's safe deposit box.
What they find in the box surprises both of them, but while Alice is happy to let it lie, Nanny feels it warrants further investigation and that she and Alice should meet frequently to discuss it. Which they do, in Bergdorf's.
But of course they both have their own things going on. Alice is having both marital problems and her business (which was her mother's and grandmother's before her) is failing. Nanny is struggling to afford her home following her husband's death.
This book is so wise and funny and clever. It seems fairly light on the surface, but it covers so many different relationships: friends, husband/wife, mother/daughter, even employer/employee.
I loved it.
Rating: 4/5
Like this? Try Summer At Tiffany by Marjorie Hart
N.B. The covers again. The really boring brown was the hardback. The paperback's much better, don't you think?
