Inga Versper starts The Long, Long Afternon with the statement that yesterday Joyce kissed her husband for the last time although Frank, her husband, is unaware of this fact. What are Joyce's plans? Is she planning to leave her husband? Joyce is at home with her two daughters, Barbara and Lily. Lily is still just a baby. Frank appears to be very controlling as he doesn't want Joyce to water the plants while she's menstruating or to pick Lily up as soon as she starts to cry. Could this be why Joyce wants to leave him, if that is her intention? Ruby is a coloured woman who cleans for a few households in the area. That afternoon she firsts cleans for Mrs Ingram before going to clean Joyce's house. When she gets there she finds Barbara at the front of the house and, as she takes her inside, she hears Lily crying so she goes upstairs to find Lily needs to be changed. After tidying Lily she takes her downstairs and sees Barbara has been trying to clean the kitchen floor. When Rbuy goes into the kitchen she's confronted by blood everywhere and no sign of Joyce. Detective Mark Blanke is sent to the house where Sergeant Hodge is waiting for him. He finds that far too many people have been in the house and Ruby has been arrested. Where is Joyce? Has she been abducted? Was she harmed? Is the blood hers? So many questions, I can't wait to get the answers. This is a great start to a very promising first novel from an excellent storyteller.