Penelope Mortimer Book order

Perfectly capturing the tone of the 70s, and the reality faced by so many women when forced to re-assess their roles as wife and mother.

"November, 1930. One sunny Saturday afternoon, 12-year-old Mena Griffiths was playing in the park when she was lured away by an unknown man. Hours later, her strangled body was found, mouth gagged and hands crossed over her chest, in an abandoned house. Only months later, another girl was murdered; the similarities between the cases undeniable. Crime in Melbourne had taken a shocking new turn: this was the work of a serial killer, a homicidal maniac. Despite their best efforts, police had no experience dealing with this kind of criminal. What followed was years of bungled investigations, falsely accused men - and the tragic deaths of two more girls - before the murderer was finally caught and brought to justice. With all the pace of a thriller, Katherine Kovacic recounts this extraordinary, chilling true story - of failed police enquiries, a killer with a Jekyll and Hyde personality, and the families shattered when four innocent lives were cruelly taken."--Publisher

Exploring the complexities of adulthood and the challenges of parenthood, a nameless woman shares her journey from a therapist's couch. As the mother of many children and the wife of a successful screenwriter, she navigates the contrast between her urban life and the dream of a serene country home. Amidst the chaos of family life and her own emotional struggles, she confronts themes of depression, betrayal, and the elusive nature of happiness, questioning whether their idyllic aspirations are merely illusions.

"Originally published in the United Kingdom in 1958 by Michael Joseph Ltd., London and in the United States in 1959 as Cave of Ice by Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York."--Title page verso.