Smother

Mary has an obsession: to prove her love for Tanya. She will persist no matter what abuse she gets in return. But sooner or later, the worm has to turnAs this skilfully told story unfolds, we see how, each woman's relationship with her own mother has shaped her adult love affairs. And so we discover the "root" of all evil. Drawing on the universal theme of how childhood pain can last a lifetime, this highly readable debut novel is intelligent and packed with sharp humour. Linda Innes was born Liverpool and now lives in Saltburn (North East England). She contributed to the Diva Book of Short Stories.