Broken Ghosts by J D Oswald #BrokenGhosts @SirBenfro @WildfireBks #BookReview

Spring, 1985. Twelve year old Phoebe MacDonald's world is falling apart.

She has just buried her parents, a fire at their family home claiming both in a freak accident. Now she must leave Scotland, the only place she has ever known, and go to live with her uncle Louis and aunt Maude in their home in the Welsh woods.

As spring turns to summer, Phoebe falls slowly into the rhythm of life with her eccentric guardians in their curious home. But there is no one her age in the nearby village, and she is lonely until she meets a strange girl, Gwyneth, who wanders the surrounding forest barefoot and alone.

Outsiders both, the two girls form a strong bond, though nobody else seems to believe that Gwyneth is real. Phoebe knows better, and soon with her new friend's help, she begins to see the woods for what they truly are - a place of magic and wonder, where the line between life and death is blurred. Where spirits roam and secrets fester.

Something happened here, a lifetime ago. A wrong that yearns to be put right. The answer is within Phoebe's grasp, but will revealing it put her in grave danger?

For the woods hold a dark truth, and some will do anything to keep it in the shadows.

Broken Ghosts by J D Oswald was published on 12 September 2024 by Wildfire in hardback. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

J D Oswald is better known as James Oswald, the author of the much acclaimed Inspector McLean series. In Broken Ghosts, he has taken a new turn with this writing, creating a beautiful, lyrical coming of age story. Immersed in myth, folk lore and incorporating a setting that is a wonderful as the superbly created characters that populate the tale. 

I love a dual time line story, and Oswald has managed to depict his lead character Phoebe perfectly, both as a young, grieving child and then in her later adult years. The two parts of the novel are seamlessly woven together, allowing the reader to take Phoebe's life journey along side her. 

Twelve year old Phoebe is returning from a school trip. It's not been the greatest of days and she is looking forward to getting home. As she turns the corner of her street, she sees the emergency vehicles, just outside her home. This is the point where Phoebe's comfortable life ends. Her parents are dead, after a fire in the house. Phoebe is now alone, frightened, stricken with grief. 

After spending her entire life in Scotland, Phoebe must now move to Wales. She's been given a home by her Uncle Louis and Aunt Maud. Their home, deep in a Welsh woods is nothing like Phoebe has ever known. Their style of living, whilst kind and caring, is so very strange. There are no other children nearby, no television, nothing to do. Louis is an author and the house is full of books, not having previously been a big reader, Phoebe begins to read the slightly odd romance novels that Louis is sent for review. She also has to avoid Maud's attempts to get her to help with the gardening, so begins to explore the surrounding woods. This is when she meets Gwyneth; a strange girl, around the same age, but dressed strangely and full of tales of local folk. 

As Phoebe and Gwyneth's friendship develops, despite the fact that nobody else has met her, or even believes that she exists, they discover so much more about the woods and things that have happening there historically. 

In the more modern part of the novel, Phoebe has returned to Wales, to close up the house after the death of Maud. During these parts, the reader learns more about the family, and about Phoebe's life since those early days in the woods. 

This is a magical, enchanting novel that is an utterly compelling, and quite beautiful read. The author's ability to get into the mind of a young girl is startling and his depiction of the woods and the local landscape, along with the small community nearby is perfectly done. 

Lyrical, haunting and such a wonderful novel. Highly recommended. 

James Oswald is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling Inspector McLean series of detective mysteries. The first two of these, Natural Causes and The Book of Souls were both short-listed for the prestigious CWA Debut Dagger Award. Set in an Edinburgh not so different to the one we all know, Detective Inspector Tony McLean is the unlucky policeman who can see beneath the surface of ordinary criminal life to the dark, menacing evil that lurks beneath.

James has also introduced the world to Detective Constable Constance 'Con' Fairchild, whose first outing was in the acclaimed No Time To Cry.

As J D Oswald, James has written a classic fantasy series, The Ballad of Sir Benfro. Inspired by the language and folklore of Wales, it follows the adventures of a young dragon, Sir Benfro, in a land where his kind have been hunted near to extinction by men. The whole series is now available in print, ebook and audio formats.

James has pursued a varied career - from Wine Merchant to International Carriage Driving Course Builder via Call Centre Operative and professional Sheep Shit Sampler (true). He moved out of the caravan when Storm Gertrude blew the Dutch barn down on top of it, and now lives in a proper house with two dogs, two cats and a long-suffering partner. He farms Highland cows by day, writes disturbing fiction by night.

www.jamesoswald.co.uk

X @SirBenfro