"Traffic of a Lie" by Angela Nagel

TRAFFIC OF A LIE

Oppression, deceit, love and greed.  Adeline is devastated at the news that her beloved mother has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in its advanced stages. Discombobulated at her mother's refusal to receive any form of treatment, no matter how much her and her sister Penelope plead her to re-consider, the two girls are shattered when their mother takes her final breath. But this is just the beginning of Adeline's turmoil. The reading of the will sets in motion a thickly woven web of deceit and lies that will rock Adeline to her very core, forcing her to question the essence of her existence and the foundations of the basis of all that she has known throughout her life. Traversing different countries, spanning across two generations, patriarchal societal beliefs and the complexities of the human character, love may not always conquer, but ultimately the truth will.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angela Nagel lives in the picturesque Barossa Valley located in South Australia with her husband James and their cheeky and talkative Sulphur Crested Cockatoo Basil. Three adult children and their partners complete their family. Angela has enjoyed a fulfilling career spanning over four decades helping operate their family owned bakery business. She enjoys travelling, with a particular interest in experiencing different cultures and languages. An avid reader for as long as she can remember, Angela has always held an interest in writing. Traffic of a Lie is her debut novel.

Learn more about Angela and her work at https://angelanagelauthor.com/

 

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION

• Overview and Inspiration Behind Traffic of a Lie

  • What the story is about, the inspiration behind it, and how the idea evolved into a novel.

• Character Development and Emotional Themes

  • Deep dive into Adeline and Yasmina’s emotional journeys, the complexity of mother-daughter relationships, betrayal, grief, identity crisis, resilience, and how characters navigate societal pressures.

• Generational Oppression, Patriarchal Systems, and Gender Inequality

  • How systemic control, traditions, and silence impact women across generations; drawing parallels between past and present struggles for women's autonomy and voice.

• Structural and Storytelling Choices

  • Use of dual timelines, balancing emotional devastation with hope, the symbolism behind the book’s title, and decisions around what to reveal versus what to leave uncertain.

• Reader Reactions and Future Projects

  • How readers have responded to the story, the kinds of conversations it sparks about family, silence, and healing, and Angela Nagel’s plans to write a psychological thriller as her next book.