Originally published under title: The missing pieces of Mum. London: Mardle Books, 2021.

A daughter’s search for her mother’s hidden past reveals long-kept secrets and lies that change both their lives forever. Born out of wedlock in Dublin in 1937, Phyllis grew up in a brutal, church-run orphanage. She thought by fulfilling her dream to become a nurse in England, her life might change for the better. But her loveless childhood predisposed a loveless marriage. Her feelings of being worthless, instilled by the orphanage, perpetuated a series of poor choices and things spiralled out of control for her – and, shockingly, for her daughter, Sally. As her mother’s health deteriorated, Sally began looking for answers to why it seemed inevitable that their lives would go so spectacularly wrong. She asked questions about the true identity of her mother: “Who was she? Why was she abandoned? I needed to find answers before it was too late.” After a mission that lasted nearly a decade, searching archives and contacting countless organizations and anyone who would listen, Sally finally uncovered the truth and opened the door to a world so many of us take for granted.