Mandarin summer : a novel / by Fiona Kidman.

Mandarin Summer (1981) was Fiona Kidman’s second novel, following on from her ground-breaking first novel, A Breed of Women, (1979) which broke social taboos about mixed-race relationships in New Zealand. Mandarin Summer is an interesting book because it shows Kidman early in her impressive career as a writer, experimenting with her writing style and again being unafraid to tackle taboo topics.

"The year is 1946. Constance Freeman and her eleven-year-old daughter travel to a small Northland community to join Constance's husband Luke who has purchased land, unseen from Brigadier Frederick Barnsley. Forced by circumstance to live and work at Carlyle House the Freemans become more and more deeply enmeshed in the incestuous lives of the Barnsleys and the unlikely members of their household. The bizarre unfolding of events will haunt Emily for the rest of her days."--Publisher description.