This novel is a compelling, black comedy of manners and relationships. When the parcel first reaches Rosalind's mail box she is unable to take it out or even to contemplate opening it. It throws her into a series of painful recollections and comic-tragic events, which gradually reveal the nature of the unfortunate experience she has undergone, and eventually leads to an unexpected and, for the reader, superbly satisfying resolution of her pain and distress. The novel combines the robust good humour of Henry Fielding, with the sensitivities of Jane Austen and the satirical playfulness of Evelyn Waugh. This delightful combination produces a black comedy of manners, which, once taken up, can't be put down. 'This is not merely a good book, but a work of brilliance. It establishes Shonagh Koea as a leading New Zealand novelist and a writer of international significance.' - Alistair Paterson