A Labyrinth of Secrets

Escaping an arranged marriage, Joanna Nel flees Cape Town to escape a dangerous man - and to distance herself from a shocking secret revealed by her mother. She arrives in Durban to start a new life, but while the past haunts her, this city presents its own dangers when she and Ryan Thompson - an American Peace Corps worker - witness a mass shooting. The horror of the carnage draws them closer, but her mother's duplicity causes Joanna to be plagued by mistrust. She is afraid to commit to a relationship. Meanwhile back in Cape Town, her mother, Petra Nel, is in grave danger from her abusive husband. Forced to deal with painful, unresolved problems resulting from years of secrets, her life is in jeopardy when the secrets are discovered by him - and because of her actions, she's faced with a possible prison sentence. Caught in this web of lies from their troubled past, mother and daughter struggle to rebuild relationships. Will they learn to trust again and be able to find love? Born and raised in KwaZulu-Natal, Glynnis Hayward is the author of multiple books, including Roads and Bridges, a companion novel to A Labyrinth of Secrets. She now lives in California with her husband and is the recipient of an award from the Pulitzer Center for her writing. She's also a member of PEN South Africa and has received mention in the Commonwealth Journal for Literature alongside other South African writers of note. A LABYRINTH OF SECRETS is a finalist in the STORYTRADE AWARDS for craft, excellence and innovation.