Delirious

Mary, formerly a police officer, and Pete, who has just stopped work as a librarian, are ready to give up the house they love for a retirement village. Neither is failing yet, but each keeps watch on the other's body: his heart rhythm and dodgy hip, her ankle, her knee. Letting go ought to be simple, but the dead keep returning with new demands. A detective from the area gets in touch about Will, their son, who died in an accident four decades earlier, with something new in the case. Mary starts thinking about the life her older sister was denied, and Pete about his mother, who slid into delirium at the end and never came back. The move forces the questions of ageing, caring and second chances that the couple can no longer put off.

AI-generated summary

About the book

Form

Novel

Length

312 pages in the original

Genres

Family (assigned by AI)

Set in

New Zealand

First published

2024 by Te Herenga Waka University Press

Author's age

61 when first published

ISBN

9781776922086 (Te Herenga Waka University Press, New Zealand)