Out Of Africa (Book Review: Forgotten, Catherine McKenzie)

"Forgotten," by Catherine Mckenzie, is one of those books that instantly grabs you from page one. We instantly meet Emma Tupper, a successful lawyer whose mother has just passed on. She finds out that she is bequeathed an African trip by her mother, since it was her life-long bucket list item. She is reluctant at first - she is immersed in her work, and was scarcely given approval by the partners in her firm. Cut to six months later, and Emma is just leaving Africa. Somehow the tour has left her behind, amidst a devastating earthquake in the fictional country of Tsawanaland, where she has been stranded. She finds that she has to reboot her life - her apartment has been rented to a strange man, and her work at the law firm has been co-opted by Stephanie, her nemesis. I was riveted, and raring to find out what happens to her. The action is fast-paced, and you sympathize and empathize with Emma. Catherine McKenzie navigates this tale efficiently, with enough heartbreak and triumph to keep you glued to the pages. About two-thirds of the way in, I disagreed with some of the plot points in the story, but it never stops interesting. I kind of wish the ending was less predictable, but this is not that kind of book. Still, it's a great page-turner that will keep you up, wanting to know the plight of its main character. 

BC-8