Dead Man's Embers

(Paperback, Main)

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Description

In the aftermath of the Great War, Non Davies wakes one morning to find her husband crouching under the kitchen table in a cold sweat and with fear in his eyes, shouldering an imaginary rifle. During the intense heat of that summer she forces herself to sit and watch him, knowing she has to discover what has changed her Davey so completely.

A mysterious letter addressed to Davey gives her the clue she needs and takes her to London in search of an answer. When she returns home Non realizes that the dark secrets of his behaviour are working their way ever closer to the surface -secrets that will shatter the fragile happiness of their community if they ever become known. This wonderful piece of storytelling is rich in atmosphere and full of characters that leap from the page.

Reviews

* With discernment and tenderness, Mari Strachan traces the Davies family's slow journey towards recovery over the course of a long, hot summer...[The novel's] fire takes hold and burns deep Literary Review * Casts light into the aftermath of the Great War...the gulf between the central characters is the space in which Mari Strachan creates the heartbeat of her novel. Her finest gift is a talent for telling stories with grace and compassion. The book has momentum from first to last The Scotsman * The gradual revelation of secrets which overturn a character's closely held beliefs...is deftly handled, providing a slow burn of suspense Times Literary Supplement * Strachan has a voice and vision all her own Independent * Extremely compelling ... I loved this novel Catherine O'Flynn on The Earth Hums in B Flat * Strachan's prose is pitch-perfect Marie Claire on The Earth Hums in B Flat * Strachan's deft handling of a dark subject is both sober and sparkling Guardian on The Earth Hums in B Flat * Beautifully written Independent on The Earth Hums in B Flat * Spellbinding and inspiring Easy Living on The Earth Hums in B Flat * A delight Financial Times on The Earth Hums in B Flat

Author Bio

Mari Strachan and her husband live on a tiny smallholding in the hills of Ceredigion, West Wales. Blow on a Dead Man's Embers is her second novel, following the acclaimed The Earth Hums in B Flat. www.maristrachan.info