The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances
This is a fairly generic version of a modern psychological thriller. There’s not really any particularly sympathetic characters in this book although eventually the reader is nudged towards taking a side. There is also a familiar milieu for this sort of genre in its presentation of a wealthy, privileged world populated by successful, cultured London types. Nevertheless, even though we may have come across similar characters in a similar world, with a recognisable central plot set up, in several novels and television series, Frances delivers her story with confidence, And, it provided me with an engaging read whilst away on holiday in Amsterdam. A perfect novel for a Eurostar journey and down time between sightseeing.
Here’s the set up then. Charming and handsome Daniel, a trainee doctor, enters an upmarket London estate agents and puts down an offer on an expensive Kensington flat. The money is no problem for him although he seems as attracted to Cherry, the beautiful young woman at the agency, as to his prospective new home. The reader warms to Daniel even though we’re aware that it’s reasonably easy for him to be so charming - he comes from a wealthy North London family, and a particularly devoted mother, Laura, with whom he has a close, loving relationship.
Cherry’s background is somewhat different. She is from the less salubrious part of Croydon - not sure where the salubrious parts are. Her mother, Wendy is also loving and hardworking having forged a decent life for them both after the premature death of her husband. Nevertheless, Cherry has an obsession to transcend her background and escape what she sees, rather unfairly, as its squalid limitations. She is embarrassed by Wendy’s pride at her supervisor role at the local Tesco’s. It just doesn’t compare with Laura’s stellar career as a television drama producer.
Without a university education but possessed of a sharp intelligence and a classic autodidact’s determination, Cherry is slowly making her way up the greasy pole. Daniel promises an opportunity to turbo charge this ascent.
We, the readers, are made aware that she is attracted to the lifestyle Daniel and his trust fund offers. Yet she is also attracted to him. That means keeping aspects of her background hidden. It also means that she takes a rather Machiavellian approach to managing the early stages of her relationship with Daniel. As a result, he is quickly smitten. However, there remains the problem of charming his family and, most importantly, Laura.
This then is the crux of the novel: a struggle for Daniel between an over possessive if well-meaning mother and a girlfriend who has been used to scrapping her way through life and is willing to prioritise her interests to gain the lifestyle she craves.
There is some nuance in the way that Frances presents both characters. The privilege and smugness of Laura’s family and friends are precisely set out. From the very start, though – and this is no spoiler - we are aware that there is something not quite right in Cherry’s take on the world and her place in it. She has, however, some complexity – she can see that Wendy is actually a decent, loving, good-hearted person and that her embarrassment is wrong but she still rejects everything her mother has to offer.
The struggle between these two powerful women is an emotional rollercoaster and both behave badly before we reach a suitably dramatic denouement.
I could gripe about the way the two potentially interesting male characters Daniel and his father Howard are not fully realised. Then again, though, this is all about Cherry and Laura. Whilst you won’t find anything new or surprising about their battle, you will find enough here to hold your attention. A good indication to support this is that Amazon have just turned the book into a big budget drama with the star quality of Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke attracted to the meaty main roles.