Description
'Beautifully written' Michelle Paver 'Stunning' Rebecca Netley 'Eerie' Naomi Kelsey 'Compulsive' Martin MacInnes What the years have buried, is about to be exposed... The gloomy fortress of Gallondean lies on the Scottish coast. Local legend has it that if the heirs to the house hear the howling of a spectral hound nearby, their death will quickly follow. The current owner of the house is Jacob Beresford who, up until the unexpected death of his father, had never set foot within its crumbling walls. Jacob, already haunted by his own demons, has no need of more ghosts, but as the First World War staggers through its last terrible months and he uncovers unsettling details of his new home's past, the shadows seem to be growing around him. Then he meets Esther, a young volunteer nurse serving at nearby Roddinglaw, an elegant country house requisitioned for use as a temporary hospital ward. Esther, widowed in the early months of the war, dreams of being a poet as she assists the men around her, some of whom are struggling to come to terms with permanent, life-changing injuries. But is it one of the soldiers who appears to have only a minor injury, whose life comes to intersect with both Esther and Jacob in horrifying and unexpected ways. Danger stalks the woods and coast around them, but it soon becomes clear that the gravest threats are within.... Both unsettling and evocative, deeply atmospheric and brilliantly engaging The Unrecovered is an unforgettable historical debut inspired by a real life legend and marks the arrival of an outstanding new talent.
An unforgettable historical debut inspired by a real life legend which marks the arrival of an outstanding new talent
About the Author
Richard Strachan is a former bookseller, who lives in Edinburgh with his family. His short fiction has been published in various magazines including The Dark and Interzone, and by Galley Beggar Press in their digital singles list.
Reviews
Immersive, beautifully written, and with an intriguing setting, The Unrecovered builds towards an hallucinatory climax -- Michelle Paver
The gothic richness that imbues Strachan's writing is haunting as it is beautiful, and reminiscent of the wonderfully dark tales that inspired me to become a writer. The Unrecovered is a rare gem of gothic literature, and the meticulous melding of historical fiction into the narrative makes its horror all the more captivating -- A. M. Shine
Creeping unease gives way to abject horror in this dark tale of dreadful inheritance and inexorable fate. Strachan is a formidable talent, weaving virtuoso sentences and deft allusions through this compelling historical nightmare -- Martin MacInnes, author of Booker Prize longlisted In Ascension
A formidable and deftly crafted nightmare, from a time of universal war, stretching backwards and forwards over the generations and across the map. The latest haunting in a classic Scottish tradition derived from Stevenson and Hogg -- Iain Sinclair
In this beautifully written and compulsive debut Strachan weaves the horrors of WW1 with the shadow of a dreadful legacy. Dark, intelligent and profoundly moving, I devoured this stunning debut in two sittings. I will be thinking about this story and its characters for some time -- Rebecca Netley, author of The Whistling
Mark your calendars for February - The Unrecovered by Richard Strachan is an astonishing debut. A multilayered and gripping exploration of grief, trauma and atonement taking in Robert Browning, the Crusades, Peter Pan, colonialism, and spooky hounds: complex, compelling and eerie -- Naomi Kelsey, author of The Burnings
A harrowing tale of madness, illness, and inherited horror. The genteel exterior of Roddinglaw House, a converted hospital for war wounded in the First World War, belies the nightmares that are lurking within and nearby . . . a ghost story, a war metaphor, a tribute to poetry, and a literary novel all combined into one book, but above all, it is a great read -- Laura Shepperson, author of The Heroines
Strachan melds historical fiction and the supernatural wonderfully. The Unrecovered is a brilliant, suspenseful novel that will move you to the edge of your seat and ensure you remain there to the very last page. Set across Scotland, India, and Jerusalem, with much of the subject matter concerning Belgium, France, Germany and beyond, the novel is as grand and far reaching as its settings. Strachan is an accomplished writer. His prose is sharp, crisp, and yet retains an air of the almost poetic. One of the main characters is a fan of the Brownings, and its easy to see the married couples' works' influence on the book. Whether you like historical fiction, the supernatural, books about war or travel or anything else, this book has something for every reader. -- Robert Welbourn
A deeply felt portrayal of the suffering of war and repentance set against the backdrop of a brooding landscape and an ancient legend. The gorgeous writing aches with emotion, mystery and suspense. A mesmerising read' -- Theresa Howes, author of The Secrets We Keep and The French Affair
Book Information
ISBN 9781526670533
Author Richard Strachan
Format Hardback
Page Count 304
Imprint Raven Books
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
An unforgettable historical debut inspired by a real life legend which marks the arrival of an outstanding new talent
About the Author
Richard Strachan is a former bookseller, who lives in Edinburgh with his family. His short fiction has been published in various magazines including The Dark and Interzone, and by Galley Beggar Press in their digital singles list.
Reviews
Immersive, beautifully written, and with an intriguing setting, The Unrecovered builds towards an hallucinatory climax -- Michelle Paver
The gothic richness that imbues Strachan's writing is haunting as it is beautiful, and reminiscent of the wonderfully dark tales that inspired me to become a writer. The Unrecovered is a rare gem of gothic literature, and the meticulous melding of historical fiction into the narrative makes its horror all the more captivating -- A. M. Shine
Creeping unease gives way to abject horror in this dark tale of dreadful inheritance and inexorable fate. Strachan is a formidable talent, weaving virtuoso sentences and deft allusions through this compelling historical nightmare -- Martin MacInnes, author of Booker Prize longlisted In Ascension
A formidable and deftly crafted nightmare, from a time of universal war, stretching backwards and forwards over the generations and across the map. The latest haunting in a classic Scottish tradition derived from Stevenson and Hogg -- Iain Sinclair
In this beautifully written and compulsive debut Strachan weaves the horrors of WW1 with the shadow of a dreadful legacy. Dark, intelligent and profoundly moving, I devoured this stunning debut in two sittings. I will be thinking about this story and its characters for some time -- Rebecca Netley, author of The Whistling
Mark your calendars for February - The Unrecovered by Richard Strachan is an astonishing debut. A multilayered and gripping exploration of grief, trauma and atonement taking in Robert Browning, the Crusades, Peter Pan, colonialism, and spooky hounds: complex, compelling and eerie -- Naomi Kelsey, author of The Burnings
A harrowing tale of madness, illness, and inherited horror. The genteel exterior of Roddinglaw House, a converted hospital for war wounded in the First World War, belies the nightmares that are lurking within and nearby . . . a ghost story, a war metaphor, a tribute to poetry, and a literary novel all combined into one book, but above all, it is a great read -- Laura Shepperson, author of The Heroines
Strachan melds historical fiction and the supernatural wonderfully. The Unrecovered is a brilliant, suspenseful novel that will move you to the edge of your seat and ensure you remain there to the very last page. Set across Scotland, India, and Jerusalem, with much of the subject matter concerning Belgium, France, Germany and beyond, the novel is as grand and far reaching as its settings. Strachan is an accomplished writer. His prose is sharp, crisp, and yet retains an air of the almost poetic. One of the main characters is a fan of the Brownings, and its easy to see the married couples' works' influence on the book. Whether you like historical fiction, the supernatural, books about war or travel or anything else, this book has something for every reader. -- Robert Welbourn
A deeply felt portrayal of the suffering of war and repentance set against the backdrop of a brooding landscape and an ancient legend. The gorgeous writing aches with emotion, mystery and suspense. A mesmerising read' -- Theresa Howes, author of The Secrets We Keep and The French Affair
Book Information
ISBN 9781526670533
Author Richard Strachan
Format Hardback
Page Count 304
Imprint Raven Books
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
