by Mariam Nundu

Created on: February 12, 2009   Last Updated: February 13, 2009

Let me start with a little background on how I came to read this book. I had never heard of Maritta Wolff prior to purchasing this book nor do I make spur of the moment purchases especially in regards to literature. Despite saying all of this, I found myself leaving my local bookstore with a receipt in one hand and the book in the other. I had nothing else to go on with apart from the few quotes on the back of the book, not even recommendations from trusted friends or peers (they too didn't know anything about Maritta Wolff or 'Sudden Rain'). What attracted me to this book was not the enthusiastic quote from Woman & Home placed above the author's name; "A riveting tale of infidelity, love and divorce" it read. I wasn't attracted either by the novel's excerpt on the back of the book. What I was attracted to was the story of how this book came to be, printed on the inner sleeve of the book.

Maritta Wolff (American born in 1918), I came to learn from the short paragraph below her photo, was a rather successful author. They had called her a 'prodigy' because she had found success as a published author with her first novel 'Whistle shop' at only twenty-two. She had then mysteriously stopped writing suddenly after publishing six books. Following her death in 2002, the manuscript for 'Sudden rain' was discovered hidden in her refrigerator. She had completed this manuscript some thirty years earlier. Once I read that I knew that there was no way I was going to leave this book on the shelf at the store. I had too many questions, 'What was it about this book that made her hide it?' 'Why the refrigerator?' etc My curiosities aside, what is 'Sudden Rain' really about? Is it any good?

In short 'Sudden Rain' is centred on the love triangles of well-off suburbia families in the 60s. There is Tom & Nedith Fallons and Hallie Christopher (a.k.a Mrs C.), Pete & Killian Fallon and Rob Wilson, Cynny & Jim Holman and Mick Sanford (a.k.a John Miguel). There is also Nancy & Dave Friedman but their story is not one of infidelity. The quote from Woman & Home certainly sums up this paperback quite well. 'Sudden Rain' is certainly about infidelity, love and divorce. However I would not use the word 'riveting' to describe this tale.

The book depicts very well the emotional and psychological impact of life against the backdrop of marriage, love and infidelity. The characters ultimately face critical moments in their lives whereby a change is certain, whether the moment

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