Service has three narrators: Daniel is a celebrity chef who has recently been accused of sexual assault. Julie is his wife and the mother of his two sons. Hannah is a woman who waitressed at Daniel’s restaurant while she was at university. She’s not one of his accusers – but she could have been. As accusations are posted online and a court date is set, we’re told the story of what happened years before at a Michelin starred restaurant. There’s been a lot of novels about sexual assault and its aftermath, especially in recent years. But to me, what makes Service different is the perspective of Julie, a woman faced with the choice of letting her life be decimated by the truth of what her husband did, or continuing to live in denial. As you’ve probably gathered, this isn’t an easy read, but it’s one of the most well-crafted books I’ve read all year, and in my humble opinion, it should be on everyone’s lists. MG

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