Broken

by Morag Edwards

'Broken' is a psychological domestic drama.

Ros grew up in care and has a baby at eighteen. On the maternity ward, she meets Anna, having her fourth child. Anna constructs an image of a perfect life but her husband Nick resents the constraints of family life and is deceiving her. As their lives become entangled, all three struggle with secrets and lies. When Ros's past encroaches, their lives are blown apart. Can this mess ever be repaired?

Genres: Contemporary

312 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 6, 2022

About the author

After trying many different forms of writing, in 2005 I decided that I wanted to focus on the novel and took a leave of absence from my work as an educational psychologist to complete an M.A at Manchester University’s Centre for New Writing. I have over thirty years' experience of the impact of early childhood experience upon adult relationships and use this knowledge to develop my characters' personalities, even in historical fiction. Once I know the child, I have the adult!

'The Jacobite’s Wife' is the first book in the Jacobite Saga and is a fictionalised account of the life of Winifred Herbert, later Countess of Nithsdale. As a Scottish child, I learned about her role in her husband's dramatic escape from the Tower of London but in researching Winifred's life, I found that it was her story I wanted to tell. 'The Jacobites' Plight' is the second book in the series and takes the reader to the end of Winifred's life as well as following her brother William's story, and her fascinating niece Mary Herbert, gambler and entrepreneur. The Herbert family continued to intrigue me and for my third book in the Jacobite Saga, The Jacobite's Heir, I found two more fascinating women who marry into the Herbert family, Henrietta Waldegrave (later Beard) and her daughter Barbara Herbert, Mary Herbert's niece. All three novels are published by Bloodhound Books.

'Broken' was my first domestic-suspense drama and is self-published. It follows the story of Ros, who grew up in the youth justice system and has a baby at eighteen. On the maternity ward, she meets Anna, having her fourth child. Anna projects an image of a perfect life but her husband Nick resents the constraints of family life and is deceiving her. As their lives become entangled, all three struggle with secrets and lies. When Ros's past encroaches, their lives are blown apart. My second domestic-suspense drama, Crash, was published by Bloodhound Books in May 2024, under the pen name Isobel Ross.
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Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I found the characters vivid , complex and memorable- even the minor ones. The story engaged me from the start and built up tension in a subtle yet effective way . There were unexpected turns in the plot but I felt that the characters and the story remained realistic . I really enjoyed the little bits of humour too!
This book deserves a large readership and I hope lots of people read it! I would recommend this book wholeheartedly.

[Jane Featherstone · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting account of how the lives of Ros and Anna become entwined through having babies on the same day in the same maternity ward. Despite being at completely opposite circumstances, they develop a friendship, which goes through trials, as they both encounter personal difficulties. It also shows how children can be adversely affected by the decisions of adults, particularly when social services have to get involved. I felt only admiration for Ros, as she strives to make a better life for herself and her son Jake, whereas Anna doesn’t come off so well overall.

[Michelle Dowling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very slow got bored half way through and skim read till the end.

[Leicester Bookgroup · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Leicester book group we all agreed that we were keen to find out what had happened to Ros as Morag was skilled at leaving subtle clues to her past spread throughout the book. her writing is deceptively simple and that enables a fast read, but in actual fact the simplicity is because it is so well crafted, coherent and not over embellished. Her use of imagery to evoke the detail of the setting, the seasons and the everyday lives of the main characters is beautiful.
The various themes for example secrets, lies, relationships, betrayal and the impact of upbringing led to a rich and diverse discussion within the group. Morag's years of professional practice as a psychologist shine through in her acute observations of the care system and its effect on the emotional development of children and young people.
The opening lines depicting the maternity ward immediately draw you in and the ending provides hope for all the main characters.

[Lynne Slipper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Griped right from the start I could not put this book down. You can tell that Morag is a psychologist the characters are rounded yet complex. No goodies and baddies just whole people that sometimes make mistakes, some more than others! Having worked in education for 30 years it’s wonderful to see young people not pigeonholed. The young protagonist is strong when she needs to be and like many young bright people she can run rings around the adults limited by their time and commitment to the care system. Morag has the ability layer the plot so you are left wanting more and as soon as possible. The plot lines interweave between the characters, slowly revealing all those hidden dialogues and agendas we have in our heads, but rarely share. The story line, outcomes and relationships are believable and not predictable. One of the best books I have read this year.