First published 1982
Vinny Tumulty arrives at the Kennedys' country house to work as a governess, stepping into a world where appearances mask deeper truths. The household revolves around young Isabella, a beautiful but troubled girl whose presence seems to cast a spell over everyone around her. Mrs. Kennedy maintains rigid control over domestic life while her husband retreats into his own concerns. Vinny watches as tensions simmer beneath the surface of this seemingly proper English family. Isabella's condition creates ripples that affect servants, neighbors, and family members alike. As Vinny becomes more involved in the household's daily rhythms, she discovers that protecting Isabella means navigating complex loyalties and unspoken rules. The weight of responsibility grows heavier as Vinny realizes how much depends on her understanding of what cannot be spoken aloud. Taylor reveals how ordinary people respond when duty conflicts with desire, and when love requires difficult choices.
Genres: literary-fiction, domestic-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: character-study, unreliable-narrator
Setting: England, Kennedys' Country House
Period: 20th Century
250 pages · Paperback · Virago Press
Content warnings: mental-illness