Secrets

The Map Maker’s Promise by Catherine Law is a comprehensive dual timeline novel that entertained me from the start. The story is fiction but is grounded in fact.

The action is set during the 1940’s and in 1985. The two time periods alternate as the setting moves from London and the south, to Invernesshire. Scotland is a peaceful location, with its’ fresh air, beautiful scenery and isolation. The residents of a small community function as a family, offering support to each other.

War-torn London is stifling. Friendships and work colleagues are not always supportive. Those who should set examples, take advantage of the young and innocent. A life is ruined forever after a character abuses his position.

During the 1940’s, unmarried mothers were viewed as a disgrace. We follow a young woman who is shipped off to Scotland rather than subjecting the family to gossip and shame. The character always feels ‘less-than’ and is ashamed of her situation. She keeps quiet about one awful night that will haunt her forever.