Shame the Devil — Mary McCarthy

Amy Kennedy, partially dressed, lies on top of a creased duvet. Her eyes are half open. A year after mother's death, her depression threatens to engulf her. Her mother's cruel and violent tones still rage in her head. “No tears, no tears now or I'll give you something to cry about.” She is alone. Married but alone.

Her husband, Maurice, a kind man and a dedicated vet, cannot cope with or understand his wife's mental state. Her daughter, Dawn, has her own life to live. Amy is merely existing, drowning in day-to-day monotony and gloomy thoughts. A letter arrives. It is addressed to her dead mother. Vague childhood memories are stirred. Desperate to emerge from the blackness, the contents of the letter galvanise Amy into action. She embarks on a dangerous journey that she hopes will uncover the awful secret of her mother's life which ruined her own childhood.

But, the truth that begins to emerge is worse than she imagined . . .