The Fence

(Paperback)

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"Not a word is wasted. Jaffe's humour is sly and unerringly finds its mark." Country Style "I promise you one thing, young lady. Building a fence is not going to keep the world out and won't keep your children in. Life's not that simple." Gwen Hill adores Green Valley Avenue. Here she has built friendships, raised her children and nurtured a thriving garden. So when the house next door is sold, Gwen wonders how the new family will settle into this cosy community. Francesca Desmarchelliers has high hopes for the house on Green Valley Avenue. More than a new home, it's a clean slate for Frankie, who has moved her brood in a bid to save her marriage. To maintain her privacy and corral her wandering children, Frankie proposes a fence between the properties, destroying Gwen's picture-perfect front yard. To Gwen, this is an act of war. Soon the neighbours are in an escalating battle about more than just council approvals, where boundaries aren't the only things at stake. MORE PRAISE FOR THE FENCE "There's nothing polite about this white picket fence drama. In this green-thumbed social satire of suburban neighbourly conflict, Meredith Jaffe's wicked sense of humor blooms in the fertile compost of domestic discord. To be enjoyed in all seasons, in full sun or part shade, requiring no watering or weeding. A mischievous treat for anyone who has ever had tricky neighbours. A welcome new talent. " Caroline Baum, Editorial Director, Booktopia "A keenly observed satire on the boundaries we set. Good fences make good neighbours. Or do they" Wendy Harmer "reminiscent of the fiction of Liane Moriarty...Written with astute characterisation and alternating viewpoints so the reader can sympathise with both sides, The Fence [is] an engaging and satirical novel about the struggle of whether to preserve the past or look to the future." Bookseller+Publisher "With her eye for satire, Jaffe does for neighbourly disputes what Liane Moriarty did for schoolyard scandals in Big Little Lies. This is an entertaining, terrifying look at how tensions between neighbours can escalate. The Fence is guaranteed to resonate and will stimulate discussions at book groups, too." Australian Women's Weekly

Author Bio

Meredith Jaffe is a writer and occasional book critic. For four years she wrote the weekly literary column 'The Bookshelf' for the online women's magazine The Hoopla; sharing literary news, reviewing books and interviewing writers. Meredith regularly chairs panels, presents workshops and interviews fellow authors for various literary events and writers' festivals. As a keen believer in the power of literacy, Meredith volunteers at The Footpath Library where she manages their annual EPIC! writing competition for school children. She is currently working on her next novel in between riding her horses and enjoying farm life with her family on the beautiful NSW south coast.