You Don’t Know What I Have Done
Maggie Murphy, an eighty-five-year-old World War II Irish war bride, with a seemingly ordinary life, reveals clues to her daughter Lizzie of a shocking crime which has haunted her for years. Details of blood, terror and fleeing her homeland and family are revealed in frightened, disjointed outbursts. Knowing she has Alzheimer’s, Lizzie must determine if these delusional rants are a mixture of movies Maggie has seen, books she has read or the truth.
The Alzheimer’s is disclosed to her children after the sudden death of their father. The horror of the disease is played out in the struggles of one woman to remember her past and run away from it. How will the family deal with the illness and the secrets that are revealed?
Margaret Mary Murphy, known as Grand Maggie by her grandchildren, has lived a happy 85 years. When her beloved husband dies, Alzheimer’s begins to claim her mind, Maggie begins revealing story fragments suggesting she may have murdered someone. This un-put-down-able and poignant story of a dying woman is beautifully crafted and tenderly written.
~ Mary Jo Doig, author of Patchwork: A Memoir of Love and Loss
“Intriguing story that touches your emotions immediately.” Earl Evans
“The heart of this book is a mother daughter relationship with the added obstacle of dementia. As many of us discover the parents we thought we knew all of our lives turn out to be strangers after their deaths.” Diana Lund
MY BOOK
