The Costume Party

Description

A single photograph is about to upend everything Maddie thought she knew about her life.

Living in the shadow of her famous artist mother, Jill Napier, Maddie has her fair share of secrets. Like her dream to be an illustrator. Or her job writing for an online “adult” magazine. But when her high school crush, Tom, blows back into Melbourne, newly single and in possession of a strange photo of Jill at an 80’s costume party, Maddie realizes that when it comes to keeping secrets, she has nothing on her family.

The photo places Jill in the wrong town, snuggling up to the wrong man at the time of Maddie’s conception. When Maddie shows her family the photo, her mum is tight-lipped and dismissive, her aunt is jittery and evasive, and her uncle, well, he seems to develop a case of amnesia. Maddie becomes convinced the man from the costume party is her biological father, and with the help of a surprisingly sleuthy Tom, embarks on a mission to find him.

As they get closer to the truth, Maddie’s old feelings for Tom flare back into life. But then his ex flies into town, determined to fight for him, and Maddie’s not sure that’s a battle she can win. She has enough drama in her life at the moment anyway—every interaction with Jill is explosive and her uncle is definitely avoiding her. Maddie thinks she has a right to know her history and her aunt tries to play peacemaker, but will it be enough? Or will Maddie discover that finding her father will mean losing her family?