The White Hare

(Paperback)

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Description

The White Hare is a novel about Edens lost, found and remade; about displaced souls, betrayal and secrets; for those who seek a little magic in their lives. In the far west of Cornwall lies a valley that cuts deeply through bluebell woods down to the sea at White Cove. The house above the beach has lain neglected since the war. It comes with a reputation and a strange atmosphere, which is why Magdalena and Mila manage to acquire it so cheaply in the fateful summer of 1954. Magda has grand plans for the place: to restore it to its former glory as the venue for glittering parties, where the rich and celebrated gathered for cocktails and for bracing walks along the coast. Her daughter Mila just wants to escape the scandal in her past and make a safe and happy home for her little girl, Janey, a solitary, precocious child blessed with a vivid imagination, much of which she pours into her plush toy, Rabbit. The White Valley comes with a long, eventful and often bloody history, laced with tall tales and local legends. Locals say that a white hare may be seen running through the woods there. Some say it is a phantasm, or superstitious nonsense; others say the hare is as real as you or me. It may be a sign of ill omen; or a blessing. Feeling fragile and broken-hearted, cast out of her old life, Mila is in great need of a new start and all the luck she can get. Praise for Jane Johnson: 'A beautifully written and intriguing story that stayed with me long after I had turned the last page' Santa Montefiore 'A wonderful blend of the past and the present day making an unputdownable, beautifully written novel' Katie Fforde 'Epic and tender... I couldn't put it down' Dan Jones

Reviews

In my mythical bookshop this would be in the "books that remind you of the true meaning of 'reading for pleasure'" section. It's mythic, witchy, mystery and romance. It sings of an earth alive with power -- Jackie Morris
PRAISE FOR JANE JOHNSON: 'A beautifully written and intriguing story that stayed with me long after I had turned the last page' Santa Montefiore. 'A wonderful blend of the past and the present day making an unputdownable, beautifully written novel' Katie Fforde. 'I wanted to live in this story. Jane Johnson writes with such grace and ease' Carol Drinkwater. 'The Sea Gate just blew me away. Utterly compelling and one of the few books for a long time that kept me reading deep into the night' Barbara Erskine. 'Johnson weaves a passionate, lyrical story of family secrets, wartime Britain and modern-day Cornwall. Think Arabian Nights meets du Maurier's Rebecca I loved it' -- J.S. Monroe

Author Bio

Jane Johnson is a British novelist and publisher. She is the UK editor for George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb and Dean Koontz and was for many years publisher of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Married to a Berber chef she met while researching The Tenth Gift, she lives in Mousehole, Cornwall, and Morocco.