An Afternoon with Suzanne Leal and Petronella McGovern

Raised by her severe parents in a punitive and authoritarian church, Ellen's narrow world is upended when she meets Gordon, a fellow teacher. Responding to his interest with curiosity and, before long, pleasure, Ellen is both transformed and beguiled by the connection, love and laughter he brings into her life.

Three years later, a knock on the door changes everything. Two police officers have come to accuse Gordon of a shocking crime. Abandoned and reviled by those around her, Ellen steadfastly refuses to believe Gordon has done anything wrong. In a world of swirling suspicion, however, she will have to fight to protect him.

But what will that cost her? And what will she discover about him along the way?

A propulsive and provocative novel about love, faith and courage from the bestselling author of The Teacher's Secret.

Suzanne Leal is the author of novels Running With Ivan, The Teacher's Secret, Border Street and The Deceptions, for which she won the Nib People's Choice Prize and was shortlisted for the Davitt Awards and the Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award. A legal member of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, board director of BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival and interviewer and facilitator at literary and corporate events, Suzanne is the online host of Thursday Book Club. www.suzanneleal.com

Petronella McGovern grew up on in a large family on a farm in the Central West region of New South Wales. After travelling and working in Canberra for a number of years, she now lives on Sydney's northern beaches with her husband and their two teenagers. Petronella's bestselling debut novel, Six Minutes, was shortlisted for the Australian Crime Writers' Association's Ned Kelly Awards and longlisted for the Australian Independent Bookseller's Indie Book Awards. Her second novel, The Good Teacher, was longlisted for the Davitt Awards. The Liars is her third novel.