First Friends

Name: First Friends
Author: Marcia Willett

Two officers’ wives lean on their friendship to cope with loneliness, temptation, and tragedy in this absorbing novel by the author of The Sea Garden.

“Soul mates since their childhood days at a British boarding school, Kate Webster and Cassandra Wivenhoe both marry naval officers who spend much of their time away from hearth and home. While stalwart Kate attempts to manufacture a loving family despite her rigid, emotionally abusive husband, the more free-spirited Cass embarks upon a series of extramarital affairs that culminate in tragedy. As the years pass and Kate and Cass move from girlhood into womanhood and motherhood, the one thing they can always count on is unconditional support from each other . . . Willett, like Maeve Binchy, has a knack for gently drawing readers into the unexpected depths of the lives of seemingly ordinary characters.” —Booklist

Published in the UK as Those Who Serve

Marcia Willett

Born in Somerset, in the west country of England, Marcia Willett was the youngest of five girls. Her family was unconventional and musical, but Marcia chose to train as a ballet dancer. Unfortunately, her body did not develop with the classic proportions demanded by the Royal Ballet, so she studied to be a ballet teacher. Her first husband was a naval officer in the submarine service; their son, Charles, is now married and a clergyman. Her second husband, Rodney, himself a writer and broadcaster, encouraged Marcia to write fiction. First Friends is the first of several early novels published by Thomas Dunne Books; her more recent novels include A Week in Winter, A Summer in the Country, The Children's Hour, and The Birdcage.