Shirley Eskapa, wrote of infidelity, dies

Shirley Eskapa, a South African writer who attracted international attention for her 1984 book on marital infidelity, "Woman Versus Woman," which explored the tensions among libidinous husbands, betrayed wives and the "other women," died of cardiac arrest Aug. 16 at a hospital in London. She was 77.

Her daughter, Linda Grosse, confirmed the death.

Eskapa had success as a romance novelist in South Africa and Britain before she wrote "Woman Versus Woman." The book sparked a debate about affairs and garnered Eskapa a number of TV appearances, including with Oprah Winfrey.

What interested Eskapa most was how wives directed their anger not at their spouses but toward the "other women." She interviewed hundreds of divorced husbands and wives and former mistresses to understand the conflicts between the women.

Survivors include her husband of 57 years, Raymond Eskapa, of London; three children, Roy Eskapa and Linda Grosse, both of London, and Robert Eskapa, of Jakarta, Indonesia; a sister; and three grandchildren. -- The Washington Post