Book description
'Snow Falling on Cedars' meets 'The Shipping News' in this enthralling
literary crime novel set in post World War II Long Island.
In the small town of Amagansett, perched on Long Island's windswept
coast, generations have followed the same calling as their forefathers,
fishing the dangerous Atlantic waters. Little has changed in the three
centuries since white settlers drove the Montaukett Indians from the
land. But for Conrad Labarde, a second-generation Basque immigrant
recently returned from the Second World War, and his fellow fisherman
Rollo Kemp, this stability is shattered when a beautiful New York
socialite turns up dead in their nets.
On the face of it, her death was accidental, but deputy police chief
Tom Hollis - an incomer from New York - is convinced the truth lies in
the intricate histories and family secrets of Amagansett's inhabitants.
Meanwhile the enigmatic Labarde is pursuing his own investigation.
In unravelling the mystery, this haunting and evocative novel captures
a community whose way of life is disappearing, its demise hastened by
war in Europe and the incursions of wealthy city dwellers in search of a
playground. 'A striking and assured first thriller…worldly and
impeccably researched.' William Boyd
'This is an intriguing, atmospheric, literary crime novel. The uneasy
juxtaposition of two communities is brilliantly evoked by Mark Mills.'
Daily Mail
'A remarkable first novel. Written with all the wit, lyrical language
and slow character development one would search for in the literary
department, the book is as rich in time frame and location as any you'd
find in the best historical fiction. Mills' tale gently yet persistently
pulls readers in.' LA Times
'Beautifully written, character-driven book, with its exotic Long
Island sound locale and lyrical descriptions…Mark Mills has written a
first novel that reverberates in the mind with the force of a literary
epiphany.' Irish Times
'Subtle and stylish. Mills is clever, unravelling the story from
several angles.' Observer
'The requisite qualities of a film script - atmospheric details,
lucidity and a simple, spare style.' Sunday Telegraph Mark Mills
graduated from Cambridge University in 1986. He has lived in both Italy
and France, and has written for the screen. His first novel, 'The
Whaleboat House', won the 2004 Crime Writer's Association for Best Novel
by a debut author. His third novel, 'The Savage Garden' has received
stunning reviews in hardback and is a Richard & Judy 2007 Summer
Read. He lives in Oxford with his wife and two children.
