The Things We Never Said
ABOUT
THE BOOK
The past shapes us all. But what happens when it hides a secret that changes everything?
In 1964, Maggie wakes to find herself in a mental asylum, with no idea who she is or how she got there. Remnants of memories swirl in her mind – a familiar song, a storm, a moment of violence. Slowly, she begins to piece together the past and the events which brought her to this point.
In the present day, Jonathan is grieving after the loss of his father. A cold, distant man, he was not easy to love, but at least while he lived there was hope for reconciliation. Then a detective turns up on Jonathan’s doorstep to question him about crimes he believes Jonathan’s father may have committed long ago…
As the two stories interweave, the devastating truth long kept hidden must emerge, and both Maggie and Jonathan are forced to come to terms with the consequences of the shocking and tragic events of over forty years ago.
NOMINATING LIBRARY COMMENTS
With the use of alternating chapters, the audience follows two different stories of mother and son with two very different lives, using effective movement seamlessly from past to present but cleverly both reflecting on parenthood in different ways. The author has carefully written the stories, which later entwine to reveal much sadness and heartache as the realisation of the link between the two characters is revealed to the audience.