When Silence Hurts - Anne Frehill

1958. A time of stagnation in Ireland-one where women are seen as mere appendages for men and there is a grey mediocrity which pervades everything. This is especially true in Redmills, a small town far away from the bright lights of Dublin. It's beleaguered with unemployment, poverty, and an insidious begrudgery that permeates its citizens' lives.

Evelyn Moore and her husband Kevin present as a happily married couple. She works as a personal assistant to a local international author, and he is a gifted and highly sought-after veterinarian. Kevin is viewed as the perfect gentlemen. It is Redmills' greatest lie.

Evelyn seethes behind closed doors. She is subjected to regular outbursts of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. For years she has acquiesced to his demands in keeping with the sultrifying conformity of society.

Following the rescue of an elderly woman from her cottage which is on fire, Kevin`s status in the local community rises to that of a Godlike figure. This feeds into his narcissistic personality and when combined with injuries sustained in the burning building, makes their marriage a living hell.

She is forced to face the fact that for her own mental health and safety she must somehow bring this pathetic union to an end. Yet this is a country where "separated women" are treated as outcasts and there is no real legal provision for them.

Will she discover the inner strength to leave him and the courage to stick with her decision despite the chains which bind them? 

For one battered wife, finding freedom in a town where secrets linger around every corner will not be easy. It might even be impossible. Evelyn must undergo a transformational journey to escape her situation where she finds real friendship and romance in the most unlikely of places.