Long Shadows

Llys y Garn, #2

"Thorne Moore is a huge talent. Her writing is intensely unsettling and memorable" – SALLY SPEDDING, AUTHOR

Llys y Garn is a rambling Victorian-Gothic mansion with vestiges of older glories.

It lies in the isolated parish of Rhyd y Groes in North Pembrokeshire. It is the house of the parish, even in its decline, deeply conscious of its importance, its pedigree and its permanence. It stubbornly remains though the lives of former inhabitants have long since passed away. Only the rooks are left to bear witness to the often desperate march of history.

Throne Moore's Long Shadows: Tales of Llys y Garn comprises a trio of historical novellas that let us into secrets known only to these melancholy birds.

The Good Servant is the story of Nelly Skeel, loveless housekeeper at Llys y Garn at the end of the 19th century, whose only focus of affection is her master's despised nephew. But for Cyril Lawson she will do anything, whatever the cost.

The Witch tells of Elizabeth Powell, born as Charles II is restored to the English throne, in a world of changing political allegiances, where religious bigotry and superstition linger on. Her love is not for her family, her duty, her God or her future husband, but for the house where she was born. For that she would sell her soul.

The Dragon Slayer tells of Angharad ferch Owain in the early decades of the 14th century. Angharad is an expendable asset in her father's machinations to recover old rights and narrow claims, but she dreams of bigger things and a world without the roaring of men. A world that might spare her from the seemingly inevitable fate of all women.

In these three tales the rooks of Llys y Garn have watched centuries of human tribulation – but just how much has really changed? If you enjoyed the kaleidoscopic sweep of David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas you will appreciate Long Shadows.
 

Praise for Thorne Moore

**"Totally had me hooked from page one… Highly recommended if you love a good psychological thriller" – BROOK COTTAGE BOOKS

"I devoured this book. Beautifully written, frighteningly real" – CHILL WITH A BOOK

"A compelling blend of mystery and family drama with a gothic twist… The author's ability to create an atmosphere is exceptional" – JUDITH BARROW, AUTHOR

"Beautifully told, this really did have me captivated" – CLEOPATRA LOVES BOOKS

"Moore has created a figure who reaches out across the decades and grabs our sympathy... Her character transforms the novel" - BOOKERTALK

Thorne Moore** was born in Luton and graduated from Aberystwyth University with a degree in history and from the Open University where she studied law. She now lives in Pembrokeshire, which forms a background for much of her writing, as does Luton. She writes psychological mysteries – domestic noir – and her first novel, A Time for Silence, was published was in 2012 followed by Motherlove and The Unravelling. She has also brought out a book of short stories, Moments of Consequence. Her most recent novel, Shadows, was published by Endeavour in 2017. Thorne is a member of the Crime Writers' Association.