The Juniper Tree by Barbara Comyns is a unsettling novel. At its heart is Bella Winter, a young single mother whose life has been shattered by a series of unfortunate events. Homeless, scarred by a car accident, and estranged from her indifferent family, Bella is left to navigate a bleak existence with little support. As she begins to rebuild her life, finding a job and creating a semblance of stability, the novel takes on a darker, more eerie tone, as Bella's grip on reality begins to slip.