Water Under the Bridge

Rich in character, Water Under the Bridge is a novel of surprise, bright dreams and foiled ambition, a tapestry of people whose lives, through time and circumstance, become entwined in several ways. Set in Sydney, it begins in 1932 as the Harbour Bridge opens and the future is full of promise. At the core of the story are two people, Neil Atkins and Maggie McGhee. Neil is an aspiring actor torn by guilt and frustrated desire. Raised in poverty by a gutsy, passionate ex-showgirl, he wants to leave that life behind and win the love of intriguing, wealthy Carrie Mazzini, who is looking for a man to transform her. Generous, expansive, Maggie has come from Winnidee to find work on a big-city newspaper. She becomes a successful columnist, yet despite her readiness to reach out to others, a love of her own proves elusive. The events of their lives and those of the people who form their realities take place through the thirties, the Depression and World War II, a time of shifting values and new horizons.