Published by
Honno Modern Fiction,
18 October 2012.
18 October 2012.
ISBN: 978-1-906784-45-4
Sarah is engaged to be married to Marcus.
Having seen him off on a business trip to New York, She treats herself to a
weekend away and visits her mother in Ireland. On the return journey, tired
from driving, she stops for a break and passing an Estate Agents window she
glances in, aware that what she should be doing is finding a house for herself
and Marcus. The wedding is just three
months away. But there she catches sight
of the name Cwmderwen and is taken back in time to the farmhouse that her grandparents
lived in. Fascinated she decides to take a look, after all is up for sale,
The farmhouse is totally derelict. It would appear that no one had lived there
since her grandparents left. Once home
Sarah does some digging and eventually locates the right John F Owen, her
grandfather, and discovers he was killed by person or persons unknown.
Shocked, Sarah quizzes her mother’s sister, but she totally
stonewalls Sarah, and so Sarah decides to investigate herself. Her journey to the truth takes her down many
blind alleys, mainly because talking to people in the local area who could have
known her grandparents seems to start off well but when she admits that she is
asking about her grandparents they clam up.
Not that she realises this at the time, just that she seems to keep
hitting blank walls.
Interspersed with Sarah’s first person narrative, as she
searches for what happened to her grandfather, we are taken back to 1933 and
the wedding of Gwen and John F Owen. Narrated by Gwen in alternate chapters we
learn the story from Gwen’s point of view of her life with John Owen in a
remote farm in Pembrokeshire, and the struggle and hardship endured, which
eventually leads to tragedy.
As more and more of Sarah’s time is devoted to her search
into the past, Marcus’s mother Caroline, continually badgers her about the
wedding plans, Bridesmaids dresses, flowers, and so on. One can feel Sarah’s
detachment. On Marcus’s return Sarah’s conversation centres more on her
family’s past then on her future with Marcus.
Sarah is a complex character. Originally pursuing a singing
career, she had given up that dream following the death of a close friend. Now
she is obsessed in discovering what is behind the silence that seems to exist
regarding the death of her Grandfather Owen.
But in uncovering the truth she may learn things that are better left
alone. Maybe silence is golden.
I found this a fascinating book. As the story progressed, I
thought I could see where it was going but there was more than one secret. Secrets I had not counted on. This cleverly, beautifully written book
evokes the past brilliantly and is highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett
Thorne Moore studied history at
Aberystwyth, and nine years later, after a spell working in a library, she
returned to Wales, to beautiful and inspiring Pembrokeshire, to run a
restaurant with her sister. Although Thorne did get a law degree, through the
Open University, she had always intended, and when I'm not writing, When not writing
she I makes miniature furniture, through her craft business, Pear Tree
Miniatures, and occasionally she teaches family history.
Thank you, Lizzie
ReplyDeleteLoved this book. Nice to see it here, Lizzie.
ReplyDelete