Beginning in the ‘60s America and continuing right through to the tragedies of 9/11, this is the brilliantly told account of the breakdown of three generations of an all-American family.  There’s humour and suspense in equal measure and the climax is taut and unexpected.  A real blockbuster but one which has depth and feeling well beyond the norm.

Synopsis

America in the Sixties was an era of radical upheaval - of civil rights protests and anti-war marches; of sexual liberation and hallucinogenic drugs. More tellingly, it was a time when you weren't supposed to trust anyone over the age of thirty; when, if you were young, you rebelled against your parents and their conservative values. But not Hannah Buchan.

Hannah is a great disappointment to her famous radical father and painter mother. Instead of mounting the barricades and embracing this age of profound social change, she wants nothing more than to marry her doctor boyfriend and raise a family in a small town.

Hannah gets her wish. But once installed as the doctor's wife in a nowhere corner of Maine, boredom sets in ... until an unforeseen moment of personal rebellion changes everything. Especially as Hannah is forced into breaking the law.

For decades, this one transgression in an otherwise faultless life remains buried. But then, in the charged atmosphere of America after 9/11, her secret comes out and her life goes into freefall.

Reviews

'State of the Union has the feel of a handgun primed for Russian roulette. The climax, when past and future collide, is explosive'  The Times

'A mesmerising page-turner' Sunday Express

'Kennedy is a complete genius when it comes to understanding the minds of stylish but troubled women. What’s more, he does so enthrallingly and movingly' Daily Mirror
 
'The story is sit-up-until-3am readable, the wide-ranging cast of highly individual characters is beautifully handled' Sunday Times

About the Author

Douglas Kennedy's novels have all been highly praised bestsellers. His work has been translated into sixteen languages and in 2006 he received the French decoration of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Born in Manhattan in 1955, he now lives in London and has two children. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation