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This is the story of a teenager, Alice, and her mother, Christine, who move to New Zealand. Christine has dragged her daughter there in order to make a new start. Christine is to be employed, she thinks, as a sort of secretary by a rather eccentric old woman, Miss Fairchild. Christine is to write a history of the mansion where they now live. Her job turns out to be more of a housekeeper and nurse than secretary and it is very much in doubt that Alice’s step-father will show up. When he does, he is quite irresponsible, often leaving a mess for Alice and Christine to handle.

In the meantime, Alice has been enrolled in school where, among other friends, she meets Margery, who has been inspired by the paintings of Miss Fairchild. The truth Alice seeks is that of her true father. Is it Toby Underwood, the dead war hero that she’s always been told was her biological father? Or is Len her father? Check out Truth to Tell by Nancy Bond, and find out.