It is a story of her early years in Dunedin, the writing stimulated by her need as an adult to search for her birth parents.
For Dunedin readers, her story will carry a heightened impact of the suburb, the institutions, the families (Somerville, known to, or known of by, many).
Her quotations at the beginning of each chapter are worthy of reflection in themselves and for the entry to the impact in the story that chapter holds.
Elspeth was born Francis Hilton James in Timaru in 1940, spent most of the first year of her life at the Karitane Hospital in Andersons Bay and was then adopted by a couple who might be considered rather too old for such an event (he was 68) and became Elspeth Sandilands Somerville.
The Somerville family are portrayed with warmth as giving this child initially much love and later also protection from a mother with serious mental health challenges.
They and the ''foster families'' drawn from the Columba College and University of Otago networks are acknowledged as crucial in Elspeth's ability to move through her childhood with a level of confidence.
This was despite the responsibilities and uncertainties she faced, particularly after her father's death when she was aged only 14.
Clinicians at Ashburn Hall gave her the respect of explanations of her mother's condition.
This is a far from straightforward smoothly flowing childhood that is described to us in carefully considered and crafted prose, without high drama, without sentiment or rancour.
In this telling many of the ''grand challenges'' of human relationships, development and identity formation are addressed with sensitive and profound insight.
It is a memoir from an already highly successful novelist and playwright, that is worthy of more than one read.
• Willie Campbell is a Dunedin educator.
WIN A COPY
The ODT has five copies of What Lies Beneath (RRP $35) to give away courtesy of Otago University Press. For your chance to win a copy, email helen.speirs@odt.co.nz with your name and postal address in the body of the email, and ‘‘Elspeth Sandys Book Competition'' in the subject line, by 5pm, Tuesday, October 14.
LAST WEEK'S WINNERS
Winners of The Girl Next Door by Ruth Rendell (Random House), were: A. King, of Hampden, S. Lane, of Dunedin, R. Lambeth, of Alexandra, F. Holmes, of Wanaka, and J. Robinson, of Oamaru.
Winners of Open Season, by Dave Witherow (Random House), were: P. Tyrrell, of Clyde, L. Walkinshaw and J. Bartlett, both of Cromwell, K. Copeland, of Port Chalmers, S. Milne and C. Eady, both of Mosgiel, P. Barnes and J. Gordon, both of Dunedin, D. Kokich, of Alexandra, and L. Lammbeth, of Te Anau.
