the characters
Eva, the translator
By night Eva works on the coat check desk at the Café de Paris, where she loves the glamorous, carefree world of the club. By day, she gets the occasional job interpreting for the Met Police. When she takes on Zina’s case, she quickly realises that all’s not what it seems. To the detriment of her already-strained marriage to Jimmy, Eva’s obsession with the case deepens, as does her bond with Zina. And she soon discovers that, when you lend your voice to a murderer, it comes at a devastating cost.
Zina, the accused
Zina’s in London to visit her son Michalis. It’s been twelve long years since she’s seen him and, although now she’s thrilled to be living under the same roof again, it’s clear that his wife, Hedy dislikes her intensely. Zina’s no fool – she can tell by the way the girl turns her back on her, the way she speaks English knowing she can’t understand, and the way she mocks her faith. But the worst part is how she’s driving a wedge between Zina and her son. The world is full of women like Hedy, who take what they want from women like Zina. Well, that happened to her years ago and she’s not going to let it happen again.
Hedy, the daughter-in-law
It was Hedy’s idea to send Zina the money for the trip, to have her to stay. She wanted the children to know their grandmother, and said Mick would regret it if he didn’t. But what wouldn’t she give to turn back the clock? To never let her set a foot across her front door. Oh, on the surface of course Zina seems fine –she’s a tiny thing, quiet too. But she can feel her watching her constantly, criticising her without saying a word. Just yesterday Hedy was kissing Mick goodbye on his way to work and there was, standing behind the curtain. Staring at them.
Jimmy, Eva’s husband
It’s been months since they lost the baby, and Evie still won’t let him near her. They talk, they eat dinner but they’re just dancing around each other, never confronting the gaping hole in the middle of their lives. And now she takes on this job that means she’s at Holloway Prison practically all day. And she’s so far from him, her head always in this case. This woman who is said to have done these terrible things to her daughter-in-law. This woman who Evie seems to be obsessed with saving. But what happens when she realises she can’t save her? What happens to Evie then, and to both of them?