1959 was a different time, when gender roles were fixed and one naive mistake can change everything. Diane found this out the hard way and not only loses her future but also herself and eventually her mind. Diane's husband Richard, barely a man when he put the ring on Diane's finger, struggles to understand and keep the family together. Ultimately it is their daughter, Frankie, who pays the price and learns that not all mothers are as loving as they should be. The House Beside the Cherry Tree tells the story from each family member's perspective - that of Diane, her husband Richard, and their daughter Frankie - in a very personal and intimate way. 'Fascinating, haunting and heart-breaking, but ultimately uplifting, giving us hope for a better future.' Catherine Simpson (Author of When I Had A Little Sister)'The one thing that kept me going through all my troubles was a love of a wonderful mother. It is the one thing I thought was a constant in life. The House Beside the Cherry Tree showed me that not everyone has that start in life. A brilliant and eye-opening read.' Mary Turner Thomson (Author of The Bigamist and The Psychopath)