The Book of Guilt

Catherine Chidgey author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:John Murray Press

Publishing:22nd May '25

£20.00

This title is due to be published on 22nd May, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

The Book of Guilt cover

England, 1979. Vincent, Lawrence and William are the last remaining residents of a secluded New Forest home, part of the government's Sycamore Scheme. Every day, the triplets do their chores, play their games and take their medicine, under the watchful eyes of three mothers: Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon and Mother Night.

Their nightmares are recorded in The Book of Dreams.
Their lessons are taken from The Book of Knowledge.
And their sins are reported in The Book of Guilt.

All the boys want is to be sent to the Big House in Margate, where they imagine a life of sun, sea and fairground rides. But, as the government looks to shut down the Sycamore Homes, the triplets begin to question everything they have been told.

Gradually surrendering its dark secrets, The Book of Guilt is a profoundly unnerving exploration of belonging in a world where some lives are valued less than others.

This is a compelling and terrifying novel whose alternative history engages chillingly with current possibilities. No one writes children better that Chidgey. She exactly gets their experimental cruelty and related innocence as they attempt to piece their world together -- Elizabeth Cook, author of LUX

ISBN: 9781399823616

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

400 pages