If you enjoy a dramatic yet unpretentious family tale with bickering relatives and plenty of scandal then this could well be the book for you. Patricia is left bereft when her husband dies, particularly when it appears that a scandal is attached. A number of relationships are in the spotlight, from London to France and Sweden, each connected and matter-of-factly told. The simplicity of telling ensured I remained at a distance, each person is as contrary and contradictory as people are in real life. The characters fluttered and sometimes zipped between feelings, and while the outcome for some was in little doubt, it was interesting to see how they fielded the detritus life threw at them. With compassion and no judgement His Guilty Secret looks at guilt and innocence, and at how each can shape and destroy lives.
Secrets & Lies Are Dangerous When Jacques's body is discovered in a hotel room his wife, Patricia, suspects he has been hiding something from her. Why was he found naked and who is the woman that visited his grave on the day of the funeral? Significantly, who is the unnamed beneficiary Jacques left a large sum of money to in his will and what is the reason her best friend, also Jacques's sister, Coco, refuses to tell her what he confided to her? Struggling to find out the truth, Patricia visits Malmö where her twin sister Jasmine lives and is married to her ex boyfriend. But the sisters relationship is toxic and when a family member dies shortly after, an old secret is revealed that shines a light on an event that took place on their tenth birthday. As one revelation after another is revealed, Patricia is yet to discover her husband's biggest secret and what ultimately cost him his life. His Guilty Secret is an unafraid examination of the tangled bonds between siblings, the lengths we go to in protecting our wrongdoings, and the enduring psychological effects this has on the innocent...and the not so innocent.
Born into a bilingual family (Swedish/English), Hélene Fermont enjoyed an idyllic childhood on the outskirts of Malmö, Sweden's third largest city and a major cultural hub.
Growing up in the early 1970s, she enjoyed a brief musical career on Swedish TV and radio before pursuing a rewarding career as a therapist specialising in children with learning difficulties.
Hélene has lived in London for over 20 years but still regularly returns to her native Sweden, where the unspoiled scenery and tranquility help aid the creative process.
Through Hélene’s work and travels what has struck her most is that, irrelevant of culture and religion, most people’s lives are defined by past experiences and self-worth. This curiosity into what drives people is reflected in her writing, which has a distinct focus on characterisation and realism, reminiscent in some ways of the popular 'Scandinavian Noir' genre. Her unique style of storytelling is best described as contemporary women's fiction with a psychological twist.
Hélene’s sensational debut novel, Because of You, features a Scandinavian-British narrative, in-depth psychological characterisations and a morally-complex plot spanning three turbulent decades in the life of its protagonists.
Aiming to eventually turn her writing into a full-time career, Hélene is currently hard at work on her second novel.
