This book by Daphne is a very sad book. Are all the books I read appear sad to me or do I read only sad books? The plot starts with Charles calling his wife and her half sister and brother as Parasites. Maria, Celia and Niall are children of Delaney couple. Delaney couple are talented and famous stage artists. But wife dies when the children are still very young. They are brought up by house keeper Truda. Maria the eldest is very selfish but hard working actor. She wants all luxuries of the world. And she gets good roles because she is having an affair with the married lead actor. She goes in and out of affairs without any regrets. And there is no mother's supervising eyes at home to control her. And Truda feels that it is in her blood. Niall is obsessed with Maria - not exactly his half sister. He is extremely talented composer but has no ambition at all. In his school, the music teacher thinks he is incapable of playing any music at all. But at 18, he meets Freada, friend ...