Marilyn Cohen De Villiers
Although writing has been how I have earned my daily crust throughout my career, I was bitten by the fiction bug quite by chance just a few years ago. The unexpected death of a childhood friend and colleague in 2011 spurred me to take stock of my life and to try my hand at writing a book. "A Beautiful Family" was the result and it was published in 2014. This was followed, in 2015, by "When Times Fails". The third in the Silverman Saga series, "Deceive and Defend", was released in 2018.
My latest book, "The Heart Warrior's Mother" started as a non-fiction biography. However, time and circumstances conspired to compel me to present the story as a blend of fact and fiction, inspired by the "heart warrior" whose story I am honoured to be able to share. To honour her and her family, I am donating a percentage of my royalties on every print book to The Children's Cardiac Foundation of Africa, a non-profit which raises funds to enable children across Africa to have lifesaving heart surgery.
The Heart Warrior’s Mother
Kerry-Anne Aarons is over the moon. She and her husband, Imran Patel, are about to become the parents of a baby daughter and give their son, Leo, an adored little sister. Then life intervenes.
Lily is born with a serious congenital heart defect and Kerry’s battle to save her daughter commences. It’s a battle that takes her from the operating theatres and ICUs to the High Court. It’s a battle that strains her relationships with her friends, her parents, and – ultimately – her husband. It’s a battle she is determined to win. But how much will Kerry have to sacrifice to give Lily the future she deserves?
“A true, cross-generational story of the eternal link between love and pain… the greater the love, the more inevitable the pain. Marilyn Cohen de Villiers once again – with amazing skill – depicts the common humanity that transcends differing cultures.”
James Mitchell – former Book Editor, The Star
The Silverman Saga
The Silverman Saga incorporates three novels:
A Beautiful Family
When Time Fails
Deceive and Defend
The Silverman family, headed by Alan Silverman, is a leading light in the Jewish community in Johannesburg South Africa. But behind the gracious and respectable façade is a terrible secret whose murderous tentacles span both time and distance.
Set against the backdrop of South Africa’s political transition from Apartheid to a democratic country, the novels explore a range of social issues from racism, violence and terrorism; to rape, incest, substance abuse, and mental health.
Part family saga, part murder mystery, The Silverman Saga will shock and enthrall you, with unexpected twists and turns that will keep you guessing to the very last page.