The Covered Wife

Sarah is a smart, young lawyer living in Bondi when she falls head over heels. Daniel is handsome, passionate and is part of the kind of large, chaotically loving family Sarah longed for as an only child. When Daniel introduces her to a charismatic young couple, rabbi Menachem Lev and his wife, Chani, despite herself, Sarah is drawn in by the vibrant community at the beachside synagogue. By the time the couple move to the Jamison Valley, where Menachem and Chani have established a community of believers, Sarah can't imagine life without the joy, purpose and love she's discovered. Four years on, youthful passion has given way to something darker. The community will celebrate its first wedding, between the beautiful convert, Avital, and a much older divorcee, but no one seems to be able to give a clear explanation of where Rebecca, his wife, has gone. In the lead up to the wedding a series of terrifying truths emerges that rock Sarah's world and cause her to question everything - her faith, her marriage, and her future.

Born in New Zealand, Lisa Emanuel studied law and political science in Wellington, Jerusalem and Sydney. Before becoming a writer, she worked as a political staffer, a judge's associate, a competition lawyer and in marketing and communications. She has studied at the Faber Writing Academy in Sydney, completed a mentorship with acclaimed novelist Kathryn Heyman, and was awarded Highly Commended in the ASA Mentorship Prize for an early draft of this manuscript. Lisa's first novel, The Covered Wife, was shortlisted for the KYD 2019 Unpublished Manuscript Award, and will be published by Pantera Press in 2021.