Tell It to the Bees, By Fiona Shaw

Lydia Weekes is devasted by the disintegration of her marriage. Her son Charlie, a withdrawn young boy, is keyed into his mother's every mood change and emotion.

So it comes as something of a relief when he's befriended by local GP and bee-keeper, Jean Markham, a thoughtful woman who allows him to take care of her bees.

When Lydia gets to meet her son's new friend, she too is drawn to the doctor who doesn't give a fig about fashion or small talk. But this is the 1950s, and the womens' liaision prompts raised eyebrows in their provincial circles. Shaw's novel explores a growing relationship that has at its heart the well-being of a child.