Kate Veitch’s first novel, Listen (2006), was a richly detailed examination of family and the repercussions of a single, fateful decision. Her second, Trust, continues her exploration of these themes and also focuses on feminism, forgiveness, religion, sexuality and the importance of recognising the truth about one’s own character and motivations. Divided into two sections (‘Before’ and ‘After’), the new novel follows the lives of Susanna Greenfield and her family in the lead up to, and aftermath of, an unexpected and tragic event.

Susanna, an art teacher who is desperately seeking inspiration for a career-saving exhibition, wrestles with the demands and opportunities of the digital revolution. Her husband, Gerry, is a handsome, successful and egotistical architect who specialises in ‘connective interstitial envelopment’. They live in Melbourne with their two teenage children: Seb, a talented tennis player, and Stella-Jean, who has business acumen and a keen interest in fashion. Susanna enjoys close relationships with her mother, Jean, and her younger sister Angie. A lonely single mother with a young son, Finn, Angie is seeking a sense of meaning and belonging through the Faith Rise church.