Ormering Tide

Told as a coming of age story, the novel follows Rozel, who grows up in a bay on a small island with her parents and her three older brothers, who are triplets. A series of ominous events gathers around the household as the story unfolds.

When one of the brothers disappears, suspicion turns to Mr Willow, the family's landlord, and disturbing truths come to light. The island's natural surroundings are vividly present throughout. The steady rhythm of the seasons and the everyday lives of the islanders stand in stark contrast to the violence and the revelations that follow.

The book examines the deep human impulse to keep secrets and to bury them. Its central concern is how people come to terms with the past once it has already happened.

This is Kathryn Williams' first novel. Williams is a singer-songwriter who has been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. The title is taken from a shell.