About the book

When her child is in danger, a woman will break all the rules... Deirdre Purcell's Marble Gardens is a compelling and original story with a perceptive eye into contemporary relationships. Perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy and Cathy Kelly. 'Purcell is an accomplished storyteller and it is her characters that triumph' - Ireland on Sunday Sophie and Riba have known each other since childhood. Though they couldn't be more different - Sophie is elegant and diffident, while Riba is flamboyantly extrovert - the bond between them seems unbreakable. Then Riba's teenaged daughter Zelda falls gravely ill. Frustrated by the limitations of conventional medicine, Riba pins all her hopes on alternative methods. Sophie is torn between her loyalty to her friend and her fear that Zelda, whom she loves like the child she cannot have, will not get the help she desperately needs. United in their distress, Sophie and Riba's husband Brian find themselves drawn to each other. Time is running out for Zelda, for two marriages, and for a friendship... What readers are saying about Marble Gardens: 'Very tangible characters, realistic story [and a] sense of place' 'Good read, realistic yarn about relationships'