The Many Lies of Veronica Hawkins: A Novel

by Kristina Pérez

Overview

A cursed woman. A beautiful socialite. A tragic heiress. Just who was Veronica Hawkins?

When Martina Torres arrives in the glamorous and vibrant metropolis of Hong Kong, newly married to her high school sweetheart, the world seems to be her oyster. But looks can be deceiving. Adrift in a foreign city, with no job and no friends, Martina chafes in her new role as Expat Wife.

But her luck changes when she meets Veronica Hawkins. Beautiful, sophisticated, and very, very rich, Veronica is the epitome of Old Hong Kong—the last surviving member of a British mercantile dynasty that built the city during its colonial heyday. Martina can hardly believe her fortune when she's taken under Veronica's wing and into her confidence, with Veronica helping her to find a new apartment, a new career, and most importantly, a new self.

Veronica transforms Martina's life and then, shockingly, she dies. She disappears over the side of a yacht during a party attended by Hong Kong's most influential people—yet somehow there are no witnesses.

Was it murder? Suicide? A terrible accident? What really happened to Veronica Hawkins?

Somebody knows but nobody's telling.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781639367726
Publisher:	Pegasus Books
Publication date:	09/03/2024
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	400

About the Author

Kristina Pérez is a half-Argentine, half-Norwegian native New Yorker. She holds a PhD in Medieval Literature from the University of Cambridge and has taught at the National University of Singapore and the University of Hong Kong. As a journalist, she's written for many international news outlets covering primarily travel, culture, and fine art. She has penned several novels for young adults and is now a London-based literary agent.

Editorial Reviews

07/29/2024

An American woman learns to navigate Hong Kong’s wealthy expat culture in this busy debut from literary agent Pérez. After moving to Hong Kong for her husband’s finance job, Martina Torres struggles to adjust, with little to do but attend luncheons with the ruthless wives of executives. Longing for more meaningful connections, she’s thrilled when she meets the sophisticated Veronica Hawkins, heiress to a British mercantile dynasty. The two become fast friends, with Veronica teaching Martina to love Hong Kong and empowering her to return to work. Then Veronica drowns during a ball at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club—though no one saw her fall into the water. Just before she died, Veronica named Martina the director of a foundation that supports up-and-coming artists. When financial discrepancies pop up after Veronica’s death, Martina is accused of embezzlement. Determined to clear her name and find out what happened to her friend, Martina launches an investigation that unearths inconsistencies in Veronica’s biography. Pérez provides fascinating tidbits about Hong Kong’s colonial history, but they’re not enough to compensate for an overstuffed plot that resolves with a too-predictable twist. It’s a case of squandered potential. Agent: Joelle Hobeika, Alloy Entertainment. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Lush descriptions, passionate friendships and wicked betrayals. An interesting undercurrent of ideas about identity, self and truth."

The Literary Review

Kristina Pérez crafts an engaging tale of intrigue, glamour and hyper-status conscious expatriates, laced with claustrophobic menace and mystery.

The Financial Times

This whirlwind of a novel presents a glittering façade and then shatters it, exposing the violence and racism that lies behind.

The Times (London)

"Vivid, immersive and compulsive, the layers of detail are gorgeous, and the quick wit and devious twists mean that you know everyone is lying, but it's a rollercoaster ride to find out what they're lying about."

author of The Best Way to Bury Your Husband&# Alexia Casale

"A twisty thriller with rich and complex female friendships. I tore through this one."

 New York Times #1 bestseling author Kelley Armstrong

"A smart, twisted story filled with secrets and lies played out in the vibrant, glittering setting of Hong Kong."

author of The Shimmer on the Water Marina McCarron

"A joyous, addictive exploration of materialism and excess, beautifully conjuring Hong Kong in all its societal layers. This is a delightfully dark novel which brings to mind The Great Gatsby in early 21st Century Hong Kong."

author of The Innocent One Lisa Ballantyne

"Glamorous, shocking and deliciously deceptive. The kind of sharp, exciting and sophisticated mystery I just adore."

author of We Begin at the End Chris Whitaker

"A smartly plotted psychological thriller set in Hong Kong. With a detailed look at high society expat life and its attendant glamour and a strong sense of place, this is a rewarding thriller with much to offer."

Crime Time