Allen & Unwin Mr Peacock's Possessions book Fiction English 432 pages

An intimate, intense, beautifully realised novel of possession, power and loss of innocence, for fans of Mister Pip and The Poisonwood Bible.

1873. A desert island. A family of settlers, and a series of shocking events that turn their world upside down.A vulnerable young boy goes missing as the same time as an indentured team of young men arrive on the island to work. The dark history of the island, and the trading in people is brought to the fore as the two cultures clash. The teenage sister of the missing boy, and their charismatic, domineering father must choose their allegiance. Making the wrong choice will have fatal consequences ...

Lydia Syson is a fifth-generation North Londoner who now lives south of the river with her partner and four children. After an early career as a BBC World Service Radio producer, she turned from the spoken to the written word, and developed an enduring obsession with history, including her family history: Lydia's anarchist great-great-grandmother moved in Communard circles in late 19th century London. Read more about Lydia and her books at www.lydiasyson.com or on Twitter: @lydiasyson