Forty-seven roses - Peter Sheridan

A powerful account of an obsessive love affair from the bestselling author of 44: A Dublin MemoirWhen Peter Sheridan's father died unexpectedly, the loss devastated his close-knit family. However, despite their grief, it soon became apparent that an awkward situation would have to be resolved. For over forty-seven years, Peter's father had maintained a relationship - mainly on paper - with another woman, Doris. She first met him in the 1940s as a naive young woman and determinedly kept up a correspondence that would span five decades, secretly hoping against hope that eventually Peter's father would be hers. Doris would need to be told about the death of her old friend. Peter Sheridan has written a moving account of his parents' relationship, from their first encounter over a poker game in a Dundalk canteen to their final, happy days together in retirement. But he also tackles the difficult subject of Doris, a shadowy partner in their marriage, and the thorn in his mother's side. FORTY-SEVEN ROSES is a compelling memoir that deals with themes of everlasting love, family pride and the nature of obsession, and is a powerful follow-up to Peter Sheridan's highly acclaimed Dublin memoir, 44, which is currently available from Pan books.