Writing with the depth and insight that have become her signature, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anna Quindlen explores a passionate marriage that turns into a nightmare. This Oprah's Book Club selection, destined to become as successful a best-seller as One True Thing, secures her reputation as a significant author of fiction. When 19-year-old Fran married Bobby Benedetto, she never dreamed that she would find herself in an abusive relationship. Every time her New York City policeman husband hit her, she would think of convincing reasons to stay. Now, with her 10-year-old son in tow, she is running for her life. Living in Florida under an assumed name, she is bravely shaping a new life and dares to believe that, finally, she has escaped from her painful past. Black and Blue is a wise and powerful novel whose protagonists could be the people next door. Ruth Ann Phimister's narrative talent beautifully underscores a suspenseful and very important exploration of the complexity of personal relationships.