Tendrils of the Past

by Anthea Fraser

Overview

Some secrets won't let go . . . Is the truth about a devastating family tragedy about to be unveiled?

"Stellar . . . Fraser is in top form" - Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Tragedy strikes a quiet Dorset town when the bodies of Sarah and Charles Drummond are discovered in their home one morning while their two young children, Abby and Mia, sleep upstairs. The police seem certain that Charles killed his wife before taking his own life, and the girls' grandmother, Cicely Fairfax, makes sure that they are shielded from the horrific truth.

Until now. Sixteen years later, an accident at work leads Mia to have disturbing flashbacks to the night her parents met their untimely deaths. What did she see? What really happened that fateful evening? When Mia and Abby eventually share painful memories from the night that changed their lives forever, they get closer to uncovering the truth, and a dark secret from the past is finally revealed . . .

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781448312238
Publisher:	Severn House
Publication date:	11/28/2023
Edition description:	Main - Large Print
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.79(w) x 8.74(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Anthea Fraser has now written a number of books ranging from suspense to the paranormal and crime fiction. Tendrils of the Past is her fifty-sixth book.

Editorial Reviews

A taut, moving story of love, loss, hate, and redemption that will keep readers enthralled from the first page until the devastating climax, when all of the disparate pieces fall tragically into place. Fine popular fiction for mystery and romance readers

Booklist on A Tangled Thread

A meaty family saga combined with a suspenseful murder mystery make for an enjoyable read from the always-reliable Fraser ... Relatable characters, authentically depicted family interactions, skillful writing, and a satisfying conclusion make this an appealing read for fans of multiple genres

Booklist on The Ties That Bind

★ 01/09/2023

The deaths of Charles and Sarah Drummond in their home in Dorset while their two small daughters, Abby and Mia, sleep upstairs propel this stellar standalone from Fraser (The Ties That Bind). The police conclude that Charles strangled Sarah, then stabbed himself in the chest, but the girls’ widowed grandmother, Cicely Fairfax, can’t believe her son-in-law, of whom she was fond, could have killed his wife and then himself. Cicely adopts Abby and Mia, who are led to believe that their parents were “killed in a car accident,” and they move away from Dorset. Fifteen years later, when Mia falls and hits her head, she experiences a vivid flashback, and the sisters begin to wonder what really happened the night their parents died. They ask their grandmother and uncle for information, and an article by a local journalist sparks queries that could endanger their lives. Alternating between 15 years earlier and the present, Fraser does an expert job dropping clues and building tension. The slow revelation of the truth is like watching a photo develop until the image is clear. Fraser is in top form. Agent: Juliet Burton, Juliet Burton Literary (U.K.). (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

2022-11-16
A minor accident has major consequences for two sisters.

Cicely Fairfax has long shielded her granddaughters from the truth about their parents’ deaths. The trouble started 15 years earlier when Cicely’s daughter, Sarah Drummond, began an affair with her husband Charles’ friend Luke. The couples' friendship had waned after Sarah had a falling out with Luke's wife, Lily, who had been her roommate at university. When Sarah was found strangled and Charles stabbed, their deaths were presumed to be a murder-suicide. But Cicely told Abby and Mia that their parents died in a car accident; she took them into her home and changed their last name to Fairfax, refusing counseling for them because they were so young. They’re still close to their former nanny, Nina Phillips, who's the school nurse at St. Catherine’s College. Now both working and on their own, they’re summoned to Cicely’s home to pick out some mementos before she moves to a residential hotel. After Mia falls from a ladder and knocks herself out, she awakens and clearly says, “Mummy, wake up!” Mia’s nightmare continues to haunt her. Instead of discussing it with Abby, she talks to Nina. When she finally opens up to her sister, Abby admits to having had a similar dream. The dreams continue, featuring a man who’s clearly not their father. When Cicely finally tells them the truth, they realize that their parents’ deaths may have been a double murder but despair of proving it after so many years.

A captivating tale, short on mystery but long on entertainment value.

Kirkus Reviews