Trilemma-Jennifer Mortimer

Trilemma Jennifer Mortimer Oceanview, Feb 4 2014, $26.95 ISBN 9781608091126 American Linnet “Lin” Mere knows little about her New Zealand paternal family except that her late father, who died when she was twelve, abandoned his family and left his homeland to marry her mother. Amongst her mother’s things, Lin finds a photo of a painting “The Road to Ngatirua” by Rose Mere. She learns from the net that Rose is her deceased dad’s first wife. Deciding to see her paternal relatives, Lin travels to Wellington. There she and her twin stepsisters meet for the first time. She soon becomes CEO of startup Hera telecommunications over the objections of her mean-spirited male rivals and also accepts the end of her beloved Ben in her life. However, as much seems to go relatively smooth, someone willing to kill wants her gone. This “Roots” storyline is excellent when the focus is on the American trying to adapt to New Zealand society once she meets her family and at the workplace. The lethal suspense subplot detracts from the powerful character-driven look at difficult dilemmas people make to belong and to get ahead while sometimes these choices include deciding whether to abandon loved ones. Harriet Klausner