Remote islands, windswept landscapes – and an unsolved murder. Clare Whitfield’s follow up to her much acclaimed debut, People of Abandoned Character, is perfect for fans of dark, twisty tales. When teenager Prue feels obliged to go live with her extended family, we’re slowly pulled into a new faraway landscape in the Shetlands, one that feels barren but full of intrigue. Prue’s on a mission to know the identity of her biological father, but while there gets drawn into another mystery she’s keen to uncover. It’s the kind of book that asks you to be alert, to pay attention, to take in the details and soak up the words. It’ll make the last act of unfolding dramas play out in unforgettable style.
Part psychological thriller, part coming-of-age novel from the author of People of Abandoned Character. An absent father. A missing girl. Buried family secrets. Is the truth worth searching for?
Sixteen-year-old Prue has grown up around secrets. Her gran's stern silence, her mother's teary breakdowns, her aunt's whispered assurances. But now, in the aftermath of her mum's latest 'episode', Prue's decided she's old enough for the truth. She wants to know what it is that makes the adults around her turn tight-lipped and distracted. She wants to know why her mum can't cope. Most of all, she wants to know who her dad is.
Forced to spend the summer in the Shetlands with her aunt, Ruth, and new uncle, Archie, Prue arrives determined to find some answers. But she soon finds herself caught up in a web of family secrets, betrayals and - perhaps - even murder...
Set during one long summer in Shetland, this is a beautifully drawn, psychologically astute novel about a young woman's search for truth, even as she realises the lies that surround her have been keeping her safe.
Praise for The Gone and the Forgotten:
'What a beautiful, absorbing, emotional book... A stunning read' Louise Beech
