Her expression suggests that she doesn’t enjoy being called that. “I didn’t mean to kill Rob. Just to warn him.”
“That didn’t stop you trying to frame me for it all, did it?” I cannot believe how calm I feel. With it, a sense of freedom from her comes over me, and the revelation hits me. “It’s no wonder I’ve spent most of my adult life so messed up. How can a mother do that to her own daughter?”
“You’re no daughter of mine.” There’s froth at the corner of her mouth as she speaks. “I want nothing more to do with you.”
“I know you didn’t sleep with Rob.”
She smiles slyly, obviously trying to re-exert the power she has always had over me.
“I want you to stay away from my son. From both of us.”
I can tell she doesn’t understand what has happened within me. Sitting up, she hisses her next words. “Once I get out. You can’t stop me seeing him.”
I look straight into her eyes and with more conviction than I have ever felt say, “watch me.” I turn to leave before looking over my shoulder and add. “Besides, I don’t think you’ll be seeing daylight for a long time. Have a nice life Maggie.”
“It should be you in here,” she mutters without looking at me. I feel a slight pang of sympathy for her as she slumps back on her bench. But by the time the door has slammed behind me, it’s gone.
Before you go…
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If you want to read another of my psychological thrillers, find out more about The Hen Party on Amazon.
Book Discussion Group Questions
What did you think of Fiona’s initial reaction to the news of her husband’s death?
What can a person do to educate themselves financially? How could this make any difference to their life?
Talk about the supposed non-physical relationship Rob was having with Bryony. Why might they have felt compelled to continue it? How might it have developed if he had lived?
Which character did you feel the most sympathy towards in the story?
Which character did you feel the least sympathy towards?
To what extent did Fiona affect her future by giving her husband financial control?
Did Fiona’s relationship with her mother have a bearing on her own relationship with Jack?
Discuss how money polarises the characters in this book.
Do you believe there was any truth in Maggie’s revelation that she and Rob had a fling?
Examine the dynamic between Fiona, her parents, and her grandmother.
To what degree did Fiona’s addiction to alcohol limit her quality of life?
Mental health is a factor in this novel. Talk about how this plays out amongst the characters.
Put yourself in the shoes of Rob’s daughter, Simone. How would the situation appear from her point of view?
Talk about Fiona’s friendships, or lack of them.
Shane appears in a scene at the end. Talk about his conduct throughout the story and the reasons behind his eventual appearance. Did he deserve to be punished?
What could cause a mother to behave in a way to their daughter like Maggie did towards Fiona?
How has each character’s life and perspective changed as a result of what they have been through in the story?
By the Same Author
Psychological Thrillers
Left Hanging: What price would you pay to save your marriage?
The Man Behind Closed Doors: The other side of domestic bliss
The Last Cuckoo: When ghosts live on in stepfamilies
The Yorkshire Dipper: What would you risk to bring the truth to the surface?
The Hen Party: First there were ten. Then there were nine.
Memoir
Don’t Call me Mum! A mother’s story about being pushed to the brink
Poetry
Poetry for the Newly Married 40 Something: How to get from Tinder to altar
How-to Books for Writers
Write your Life Story in a Year
Write a Novel in a Year
Write a Collection of Poetry in a Year
Write a Collection of Short Stories in a Year
All available on Amazon
Win a Yorkshire ‘Goody Bag’
To win a fabulous Yorkshire-themed reader goody bag, answer the question given below before midnight (gmt) Friday 21st May. I will do the prize draw on the 22nd.
What were the two alcoholic drinks that Fiona succumbed to prior to being arrested?
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The Hen Party - Prologue
(The next psychological thriller - find out more on Amazon)
It takes a moment for my eyes to grow accustomed to the darkness. My heart rate quickens and I hear the whoosh of my breath in my ears. As I tiptoe to her side, she doesn’t stir.
I hold the pillow, my hands gripping either edge as I prepare to lower it.
She barely flinches to start with. I wonder if she will just drift into an eternal sleep without waking first.
Her body becomes rigid, but then, some fight must kick in, her arms and legs flail in all directions. Taken aback, I press down. Hard. I hear her gasps beneath the pillow. She doesn’t thrash for long before going limp. Then. Silence.
I hardly dare move the pillow for a moment. When I do, I know there’s no
