Author:Steven Erikson

A time to escape
Twelve-year-old Owen Brand and his family move to Middlecross, a riverside town in rural Canada, hoping to leave poverty and unhappiness behind.
A time for innocence
Owen meets three local boys, and they soon form an inseparable band. Over the summer holidays they create their own world, a place apart from the adults who watch over them. Owen also grows close to Jennifer, a fascinating but deeply troubled girl.
And a time to grow up
Then the gang stumble across a body in the river – a discovery with unimaginable consequences for them and the town, from which there is no going back.
Wonderfully and intimately evoked...a writer of real imaginative force and breadth.
—— Paul Binding , THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENTStartlingly real...it is remarkable for a first novel.
—— Margaret ForsterAn excellent novel...a terrific new talent.
—— GLOBE AND MAILA tremendously affecting novel, skillfully and arrestingly written, and one that packs a big emotional punch
—— Sunday TimesBoth sinister and sharply intriguing, with a completely convincing eleven-year-old narrator caught in fundamentalism, school persecution and the edge of the miraculous
—— A.S. Byatt , Guardian, Books of the YearBursting with tension and tenderness, this novel is a small miracle in itself
—— Helen Brown , Daily MailGrace McCleen's writing is deep, fantastical and powerful... She has been able to observe a fascinating world with generosity, wonder and spirit. A wonderful gem of a debut
—— Viv Groskop , Independent on SundayAffecting and brilliantly written…a truly awe-inspiring debut
—— StylistSurprising, affecting, thoughtful and complex, McCleen's novel grows in power the more time you spend with it
—— Nicola Barr , ObserverExquisitely written and imagined
—— Woman & HomeA stand-out debut from a new talent ... Inventive and unforgettable
—— Good HousekeepingAn incredibly emotional read
—— GraziaA thrilling page-turner
—— Alexander Larman , SpectatorThis is a novel that strikes both horror and joy in the reader, the first-person narration deftly articulating Judith's escalating confusion and fear ... A talent to watch
—— Lucy Scholes , The Sunday TimesA touching, delicate book, it's hitting the shelves with high hopes...On March 1, head out and buy Grace McCleen's book
—— Louis Wise , Sunday TimesA distinctive debut that pulls off the use of a child narrator in delightful style
—— We Love This BookTouching and funny… a compelling and wholly original debut.
—— Marie ClaireShimmers with little miracles.
—— Peggy Hughes , Scotland on SundayThis is a promisingly bold book and McCleen is a talent to watch
—— Lucy Scholes , Sunday TimesA gripping and mesmerizing debut of an unforgettable ten-year-old heroine and her battle with good and evil… A harrowing and powerful story about isolation and belonging
—— My WeeklyAn original new voice... Haunting and absorbing, this is a joy to read
—— Jackie Carrier , Suffolk Free Press






