Tiding

A coming-of-age murder mystery exploring death, the afterlife and memory. During the Great Freeze of 1963, Eleanor O‘Dowd, a middle-aged piano teacher, is found bludgeoned to death. As the freeze takes hold, there is a brutal reckoning for the residents of Glanmorfa, who are caught in the grip of an ancient curse. Or so it appears to the vicar‘s daughter, Daphne Morgan, who finds herself engulfed in the currents of the adult world and mysteries far deeper than she expected in this chilling story about the power of imagination. Set in the fictional Carmarthenshire town of Glanmorfa, Collins draws inspiration from her own childhood to craft a masterful tale exploring how children can sometimes become victims of adult power. Notable Praise for Collins‘ Debut Novel, Unleaving ‘A wonderful read. The time and place of this moving story are beautifully depicted.‘ Alexander McCall Smith ‘A book of quiet mysteries and forbidding new terrain. It echoes, quite naturally, such books as Colleen McCullough‘s ‘The Thorn Birds‘ - which substitutes Ireland for Wales and an Australian sheep station for an African dairy farm - along with Patrick White‘s ‘The Tree of Man‘ and Laurens Van der Post‘s ‘A Story Like the Wind.‘ The writing is crisp and clear and never showy or fussy, relying on the simple question "What next?" which is the simplest engine of narrative to keep the pages turning‘ Jon Gower ‘Siân Collins has woven an engrossing and beautifully rendered exploration of the meaning of home - with plenty of mystery thrown in.‘ ‘A remarkable talent for evoking a sense of place.‘ ‘A touching exploration of the theme of loss.‘ Jenny White, Western Mail. ‘A vivid, descriptive style... building intrigue and mystery throughout the journey.‘ Siwan Jones ‘A compelling and heart-warming story of mystery, loss and leaving.‘ Jessica Seaton.