A powerful story about resilience, redemption, and personal reckoning.
The bond between mothers and daughters can be fiercely protective. So when Lucy Merrell reads a bad-news text from her mom, Paula, she is devastated. “Greg and I got into a nasty argument last night and he hit me.” Greg is an abusive husband? How could Lucy have lived with them for years and never noticed? Lucy begins to replay their love story in her head. Greg adored Paula, respected her, and welcomed her two daughters into his life. Nothing ever raised red flags. What changed? She can’t erase the traumas her mother has already endured, but Lucy is concerned for Paula’s future. At her sister’s urging, Lucy agrees to an audacious plan to hide cameras throughout Greg and Paula’s home, hoping to document evidence of his mistreatment if he comes back around. Much to the girls’ dismay, Paula does allow Greg back into her life a little at a time. Lucy is determined to obtain concrete proof that will convince her mother of the danger he poses. But that assumes Greg is as guilty as Paula makes him sound. As Lucy educates herself on domestic violence and dutifully combs through hours of footage, two different pictures of spousal abuse emerge. Is Paula truly the only victim in this story?
The Truth About You is a striking novel that explores how powerfully perception can shape reality. Framing a self-confessing abuser in a sympathetic light challenges the reader to consider the complexities of accountability, rehabilitation, and the capacity for change. Lucy’s measured approach stands in stark contrast to family members who unquestionably embrace whatever narrative is relentlessly pushed upon them. With a sister who is demanding, demeaning, arrogant, condescending, and manipulative, and a mother who possesses all those same qualities, it is difficult to empathize with either woman. The antagonists come across as bullies with only selfish motives to guide them, whereas the protagonists are generally portrayed as open-minded, thoughtful, and reasonable. In reality, however, people are far more complex. Still, it is rare to find a story that encourages such empathy and understanding, offering the benefit of the doubt in a situation where few are afforded such an opportunity. The undeniable hero of the story is a rescue dog who triumphs over stigma, judgment, and shame to become a living metaphor for the book’s story arc of transformation. Part cautionary tale, part riveting family drama, The Truth About You is a powerful story about resilience, redemption, and personal reckoning.
