Whatever Remains: A True Story of Secret Lives and Hidden Families

Description

Whatever Remains is a true story. The fall of Singapore is considered one of Britain's worst defeats of the Second World War. For Penny Graham's father, however, it became a life-changing opportunity to shed once and for all, all of the shackles of a family he no longer wanted. From 1942 onwards her parents would carry passports that gave them backgrounds that had nothing to do with reality. In 2010, a recognised Australian author claimed that her father and mother were involved in espionage for the British Government before, during and after World War 2. Although he worked in Australian naval intelligence during the war, there is no evidence whatsoever that he was an MI6 spy. He clearly had his own motives for the change of identity but they had nothing to do with espionage. Penny Graham spent most of her adult life unravelling the truth about her family history. Her journey took her around the world twice, on many twists and turns, false leads and dead ends as she discovers hew her father managed to hoodwink so many people in his long and complex life. Whatever Remains is a beautifully written story about solving mysteries, conquering adversity and ultimately finding where you belong in the world. It's a slice of history worth telling.

Penny grew up mainly in Perth and she had a very isolated and unusual childhood. Her early life was spent travelling and residing in many countries and locations across Australia, Singapore and England. After marriage and raising a family, she worked as a public servant with the Commonwealth Government in health management. The writing of her book took her around the world - twice - and involved many journeys through Singapore, Malaysia, Europe and Russia. Penny now lives in Canberra with her husband. Together, they travel regularly to Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and France to visit their 4 sons and daughters-in-law and 9 grandchildren. Penny's interests include writing, walking, cycling, history and current affairs.