Family Money by Nina Bawden was first published in 1991 and was reprinted by Virago the following year. It’s one of my 20 Books of Summer.

Fanny Pye is an elderly widow who is getting used to her singleton life after her husband Daniel’s death. He had been rather overbearing and now her various family members are beginning to try to make decisions for her too. Fanny still lives in the family home in London, the value of the house has risen a lot over the years and some members of the family would like to be able to get their hands on some of the money from the sale of it. Fanny is very attached to Ivy her cleaning lady though, and doesn’t want to upset her life.

But Fanny’s own life is upset when she witnesses an act of road rage on her way home from a restaurant and she becomes a victim herself. In hospital her recovery only goes so far as her memory has been damaged and she’s confused. Her children think this is an opportunity for them to push the idea of Fanny moving to a smaller house, but Fanny would like to buy a small house for Ivy, one close to her daughter. As you can imagine that idea doesn’t go down well with some people who feel that their father’s money shouldn’t leave the family.

When Fanny’s memory begins to come back to her she’s filled with fear and a sense of danger, she doesn’t feel safe in her home any more.

The back blurb says:

Here, the tempo of a thriller is brilliantly linked with a wry examination of the manners and morals of an acquisitive society.

I enjoyed this one although for me the ending is somewhat disconcerting.