This week’s topic is ‘Who is your favourite antagonist/bad guy/villain in your books and why? What makes him/her tick?

My ‘bad’ guy is Ric from ‘The  Daughter-in-law Syndrome‘, a Readers’ Favorite 5-star read.

I’d better not say what makes Ric Deane tick in ‘The Daughter-in-law Syndrome‘, as I would be giving away a spoiler, but suffice to say his wife Arla is at her wits’ end.  Ric will never say anything to his mother Edna that she would not want to hear, and after 30 years of it,  Arla wants to find out why Ric is seemingly frightened of his mother.  She suggests counselling,  but Ric would rather cut off his penis with a rusty breadknife than open up to a stranger about his marriage problems.  However,  to save their relationship he reluctantly lets Arla drag him along for marriage guidance therapy.

Edna is coming between Ric and Arla in a big way, interfering, picking her favourite grandchild from their children, and running roughshod over Arla’s feelings and ideas of child rearing.  Arla complains to Ric, but he is not listening, and will not have a bad word said against his mother.

Just why Ric is so dense when it comes to Arla’s mother-in-law issues becomes clearer as scenes from his childhood are interwoven into the story.

 

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