Diana Souhami manages to find a new side to the famous story of Violet and Vita as documented in Portrait of a Marriage and other of her publications. This is the story of two women both fascinating in their own right. By examining Violet's relationship with her mother, Alice Keppel, mistress of Edward VII and very powerful woman, the author gives a fascinating insight into the psychology of Violet who cuts a tragic figure. She seems to have had one truly passionate love in her life, namely Vita Sackville West, and never really to have recovered from the breakdownof this relationship. An excellent book and worth reading for the story of both mother and daughter.