The Legg family are a nightmare, and Peggy Legg has many issues. A homeless and hungry gypsy visits Peggy's cafe to beg for food, but Peggy is uncharitable. When the gypsy puts a spell on Peggy, everything in her dysfunctional life that was already awful, gets even worse. Domestic violence, heavy drinking, drugs, junk food and cigarettes are the staples of everyday life. An unholy interest in eggs only adds a surreal twist to the misery Gregg Legg has to put up with. He's been bullied throughout his life, but when he marries Peggy, the bullying only gets worse. Eventually, Gregg can't take it anymore - he has to think of what is best for his son and makes a difficult decision. A Broken Shell of a Man is a surreal, darkly hilarious and often terrifying novel that looks at the problem of domestic abuse from a new and refreshing perspective. The darkness of the story is leavened with black Scottish humour throughout. A previous version of this book was published as Wooden Womb Man.