The parasites

The Delaneys are a family of entertainers, children of a famous singer and a dancer, who have lived their lives on stage and in the glare of public attention. Told partly through the memories of the three grown siblings, Maria, Niall and Celia, the novel looks at their bohemian upbringing, their rivalries and their dependence on one another. Du Maurier uses the theatrical world to examine family loyalty, envy and the cost of a life of performance, in a witty and sharp-eyed story.