I love beautifully written, character-driven books where I can bury myself in the details of the protagonists’ daily lives and watch their stories unfold in a realistic, often frustrating, way. Keepers builds on this fascination, in that the book is loosely based on family lore – some of it really happened! My books, and many of my short stories, have a basis in reality. True life, mostly historical, is where I get my inspiration, spiralling the mundane into drama for the pleasure of my readers. Australian by birth, I now live in England. To date, I have published an MG fantasy trilogy and its prequel, Keepers, and a book of short stories.
I love anything by Atwood, but this book had me hooked from the first sentence. Three women become friends, united against a common enemy–the unpredictable and glamorous Zenia, who attempted to steal away their boyfriends/husbands many years before. They believe her dead, but when she re-appears, old threats surface. The unravelling of the different tales past and present, and the way the women unite and fight back to save their relationships is a complex and page-turning story.
Zenia is beautiful, smart and greedy, by turns manipulative and vulnerable, needy and ruthless; a man's dream and a woman"s nightmare. She is also dead. Just to make sure Tony, Roz andd Charis are there for the funeral. But five years on, as the three women share an indulgent, sisterly lunch, the unthinkable happens; 'with waves of ill will flowing out of her like cosmic radiation', Zenia is back...
An exotic location, a bit of magical realism (another favourite genre of mine), and a bittersweet love story of a very different kind. When the fisherman David rescues and falls in love with the centuries-old mermaid, Aycayia,she begins to return to her original, human form. But it seems their love is not enough to guarantee a regular style of happy ever after. I loved the exquisite writing, the heart-stopping moments of potential horror, and the lightening of what could have been a dark story by the injection of some farcical ‘baddies’.
Near the island of Black Conch, a fisherman sings to himself while waiting for a catch. But David attracts a sea-dweller that he never expected - Aycayia, an innocent young woman cursed by jealous wives to live as a mermaid.
When American tourists capture Aycayia, David rescues her and vows to win her trust. Slowly, painfully, she transforms into a woman again. Yet…
If you’re intrigued by the psychology of relationships this is the novel for you.
Described as a modern-day Rebecca, this is a story of a bereaved man’s obsession with his deceased married lover, Michelle. Determined to find out all he can about Michelle’s life when she wasn’t with him,…
I devoured this novella for its humanity and its writing. Ted and Rene marry in the ‘frail optimism’ of the 1950s, she to assume the expected role of mother and housewife, he to continue with his career as a ceramics designer in the family firm. Over time, misunderstandings and the inability to talk to each other drive a wide wedge in their marriage. Ted is almost a bystander in this process, helpless in not knowing what to do about it as things get worse and worse.
A heart-rending, simple, and beautifully told tale of a marriage which slowly dissolves into silences while maintaining the perfect façade.
This warm-hearted tale explores marriage, love, and longing, set against the majestic backdrop of Morecambe Bay, the Lakeland Fells, and the faded splendour of the Midland Hotel.
Ted Marshall meets Rene in the dance halls of Morecambe and they marry during the frail optimism of the 1950s. They adopt the roles expected of man and wife at the time: he the breadwinner at the family ceramics firm, and she the loyal housewife. But as the years go by, they find themselves wishing for more...
After Ted survives a heart attack, both see it as a new beginning... but can a…
What I loved about this book is how it delves so deeply into the relationship between Agnes and her husband (Shakespeare, although never named), primarily from her point of view. Even dealing with months of separation at a time, the marriage appears strong. But when Agnes hears her husband has written a play named after their dead son, without consulting or telling her, she feels totally betrayed. Her furious sorrow takes her way, way out of her comfort zone, all the way to London to confront him. And in that confrontation, she finds understanding, of him and of herself.
WINNER OF THE 2020 WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION - THE NO. 1 BESTSELLER 2021 'Richly sensuous... something special' The Sunday Times 'A thing of shimmering wonder' David Mitchell
TWO EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE. A LOVE THAT DRAWS THEM TOGETHER. A LOSS THAT THREATENS TO TEAR THEM APART.
On a summer's day in 1596, a young girl in Stratford-upon-Avon takes to her bed with a sudden fever. Her twin brother, Hamnet, searches everywhere for help. Why is nobody at home?
Their mother, Agnes, is over a mile away, in the garden where she grows medicinal herbs. Their father is working in London.
Jo Jackson believes she has put behind her difficult childhood with a charismatic but sometimes violent father. One day, however, out of the blue, she is moved to write about him. Immediately she comes unstuck, face to face with things that don't add up, and a growing sense of mystery…
I remember 1988, the arrival of the CD and old-fashioned record shops. But what I loved most about this book was the portrayal of Frank, the record shop owner with the gift of being able to pick the right music for his customers but unable to help himself. For me, the mystery of Ilse was a background tune to the real story of how these two unlikely characters overcome their various emotional burdens to finally reach out to each other. Sorry about the spoiler!
BBC Radio 4 BOOK AT BEDTIME from 17-28 July. From the author of the world-wide bestseller, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, a new novel about learning how to listen and how to feel; and about second chances and choosing to be brave despite the odds. Because in the end, music can save us all ... 1988. Frank owns a music shop. It is jam-packed with records of every speed, size and genre. Classical, jazz, punk - as long as it's vinyl he sells it. Day after day Frank finds his customers the music they need. Then into his life…
Raine will risk everything to find love - even if it might not be there waiting.
"A captivating historical fiction tale of love, hope, struggle, and what it means to strive for happiness." Five star reader review
When Raine Merrett’s beloved Pop falls ill, her family is forced to leave the peaceful countryside for a migrant camp on the flat plains outside post WW2 Adelaide. Life in the cramped Nissen hut is harsh, but Raine tackles her hated new life with gritty persistence.
Teddy Greene, newly arrived in Australia from war-torn London, shares Raine’s struggles.
But when Teddy and his best friend Alf rescue Raine from a drunken attack, their heroism ignites a whirlwind of passion, uncertainty, and heartache.
Caught between the expectations of her times and her own desires, Raine's struggle to discover where her true path to happiness lies will test both her courage and her resilience.
Inspired by true events, Keepers is an emotionally charged story of love, abandonment and self-discovery.
"A beautifully crafted, emotionally gripping tale of love, resilience, and self-discovery. An unforgettable read!" Reader's House Magazine "A treat to savour." Discovering Diamonds
An Amazon Charts Bestseller Chill with a Book Premier Readers' Award Readers’ Favourite Five Stars
Dolça Llull Prat, a wealthy Barcelona woman, is only 15 when she falls in love with an impoverished poet-solder. Theirs is a forbidden relationship, one that overcomes many obstacles until the fledgling writer renders her as the lowly Dulcinea in his bestseller.
Can a free-spirited country girl navigate the world of intrigue, illicit affairs, and power-mongering that is the court of Louis XIV—the Sun King--and still keep her head?
France, 1670. Sixteen-year-old Sylvienne d’Aubert receives an invitation to attend the court of King Louis XIV. She eagerly accepts, unaware of her mother’s…
