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Review
'Jenni Mills's second novel is outstandingly accomplished and gripping.' Jessica Mann, Literary Review
Praise for ‘Crow Stone’:
‘An addictive, high-quality psychological thriller.’ Kate Mosse, author of ‘Labyrinth’
‘An amazingly accomplished first novel – intricately plotted and with a terrific, engaging protagonist. Anyone who has so much as a hint of claustrophobia or fear of pot holes should read it only in daylight with the windows open.’ Jenni Murray, author and broadcaster
‘Ingenious, well-plotted and…really holds the attention. It's a damn good read.’ Susan Hill
‘[A] taut archaeological thriller…Mills gradually leaches out Kit’s unstable history which, combined with the fissured roof, conflicting loyalties and predatory men, keeps the adrenaline flowing high.’ Financial Times
‘The geological and archaeological background lends colour without overwhelming an elaborate, convincing plot, and the characters are really believable. This is a remarkably accomplished and well-written first novel.’ Literary Review
‘A compelling thriller…When Kit finds evidence of what could be an amazing archaeological discovery, the secrets of her past become caught up with the race to uncover the mystery hidden in the mines – which results in a chilling climax…Ingenious.’ Editor's Choice, Closer magazine
‘Nail-biting suspense.’ Woman & Home
Product Description
A pacy literary thriller, ‘The Buried Circle’ is a gripping blend of fact and fiction, peopled with extraordinary characters.
The village of Avebury is one of the most mysterious places in the English countryside. Surrounded by ancient standing stones, crop circles and burial mounds, this is a place where all is not as it seems.
In 1938, the archaeologist Alexander Keiller – a millionaire playboy with a passion for ritual magic – plans to reconstruct the 5,000-year-old stone circle at Avebury. As war looms, Frannie Robinson and her boyfriend Davey are among those who fall under Keiller’s spell, with fatal results.
Seventy years later, Frannie’s granddaughter India, filming in the area, survives a helicopter crash. Devastated, she decides to move back to Avebury and to her grandmother, setting out on a quest to discover the truth about her family. But why is her grandmother so reluctant to talk about Keiller and the war? And exactly whose past is India unearthing…?
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Customer Reviews
But that makes it sound dull! It isn't. The three strands weave around each other, reinforcing and contrasting in an almost fuguey way. Each part has its own centre of interest.
France's story revolves around Alexander Keiller, a powerful figure who revealed - in fact almost created - much of modern Avebury, tearing down houses to rebuild the ancient henge. What is their relationship? How does it fit with Donald Cromley, the young archaeologist, and her RAF navigator boyfriend, Davey? That strand of the plot ends in one of the most moving scenes in anything I've read for a long time.
India is trying to get over her guilt at surviving a helicopter crash while filming Avebury from the air (you know that's something bad is going to happened when the flight goes widdershins round the circle...) She is also involved with a flier - Ed, the helicopter pilot, but like Frances, there is also someone else around, and to deal with that, she needs to go back into her past. The two main stories both parallel, and contrast with, each other
What else? A great deal of information about Avebury (very gently conveyed), various types of pagan (with India's friend John the Shaman by far the most interesting), the welcome reappearance of Dr Martin Ekwall from Crow Stone, Mills's earlier book (which while excellent is not I think quite as good as this - or perhaps it's fairer to say this is even better), a good pace, a fair amount of action (including a very tense conclusion) and - wonderfully evoked - the Wiltshire countryside. Very satisfying. I hope that Ms Mills has a follow up on the go.
I liked the background of the making of a film about the Avebury stones and the work of charismatic archaeologist Alexander Keiller in the 1930s and 1940s. The modern day Druids, Pagans and Wiccans were also interesting and the work of the National Trust at the site. I thought the characters and their motivations were well done and the plot was nicely complex with many strands and sub plots to keep the reader interested.
This is an interesting and enjoyable book from an accomplished writer and will appeal to people who enjoy authors such as Barbara Erskine and Phil Rickman. I shall definitely be looking out for more by this author and will be reading her first book - Crow Stone
A must read Particularly if you like Avebury.
The heroine, India, is the love child of an 80s hippy/pagan traveller who goes to live with her... Read more
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