Stone Dead
Linda Menzies
The story is set in a rural area of a fictionalised Angus, Scotland. Barleyknowe is a farmhouse with semi-derelict outbuildings and land. A wealthy woman from London, Jennifer Armstrong, purchases and renovates the property and sells five of the cottages, retaining ownership of the farmhouse, guest cottages and barns. The unusual condition of sale is that all the cottages have to be bought by women, who will take part in occasional communal activities.
The owners are: Irene and Rose, a lesbian couple of retired teachers; Frankie, a young bisexual woman; Maureen, a retired nurse; Jo, whose wife Wendy had died; and Elaine, a straight, divorced businesswoman. Jennifer, a single lesbian, lives in the farmhouse. All the women have issues from the past, secrets and guilt.
All goes smoothly as the neighbours form friendships and attachments, until the arrival at one of the guest cottages of a charismatic, attractive but unscrupulous and promiscuous lesbian, Sam, whose actions impact on the whole community.
Sam fails to attend a communal meal one Sunday and is found dead of a head injury in the guest cottage, where there are signs of a struggle. All the women, and one man guest are under suspicion and the police discover everyone has motive to harm Sam.
In a surprising turn of events, justice prevails. The community falls apart and the properties are sold, with the lives of the women of Barleyknowe all changed forever.
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Details
| ISBN | 979-8527721249 |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publication Date | 21-Jun-21 |
| Publisher | Independently published |
| Format | Paperback |
| No. of Pages | 275 |
| BookID | 252369 |
