Author(s): Rachel Dore

Historical

People are not always what they seem. When Ruby narrowly escapes 1950s Auckland with her young daughter and seeks to build a new life in the Manawatu, she discovers it is easier to change her surroundings than her reality. Set against the conservatism of the postwar era, Ruby is faced with the need to create a respectable veneer for herself in the face of discrimination and danger. But as her past catches up on her, it's not only she and her daughter who need protection, but her new friends as well. This is a strong story about a woman struggling against poverty, abuse and danger to herself and her child, but is also about homosexuality in 1950s New Zealand.