Maggie Allder – författare

The Song of the Lost Boy is the latest novel from Winchester author Maggie Allder. Living in a homeless encampment on the edge of Winchester, Giorgio has become separated from his parents. With great determination, he sets out to find then; unaware of the difficulties he will encounter searching for missing people in a neo-fascist state. Giorgio has only three clues to guide him: his name, a necklace and a half-remembered song. He pursues each of his leads in turn, all the while trying to avoid attracting the attention of the authorities, fearing that they will put him in care if they catch him. Eventually his path leads him to unexpected discoveries, and to a new sort of belonging. With times of difficulty, danger, kindness and love, Giorgio pursues his goal. He meets a host of interesting characters along the way, from Spanner-in-the-Works and the brothers Big Bear and Little Bear, to the Old Man who lives in the copse at the top of the hill, to Vishna, who becomes like an older sister to Giorgio. As he searches for the missing adults, Giorgio grows up and learns about the world in which he lives and the people around him. The Song of the Lost Boy is a charming story with moments of sadness and tragedy, but also contentment and joy.

On a stormy winter’s night on a remote island in the wild North Atlantic, something draws Marie down to the beach, where she finds a small girl, barely alive. Who is she? How did she come to be there? The mystery grows, because nobody on the island seems to know of a missing child. When Marie meets Malcolm, who is returning to the island after years away, the two team up, and together they try to solve the mystery. Perhaps romance is inevitable, but the discovery of a group of climate refugees, hidden away near one of the most remote beaches, is the last thing the two expect. Nor is it clear how these strangers come to be there, and who is controlling them, or why. In the company of a local police officer and an absurdly young minister of the kirk, the friends unearth the secret of the refugees, and the villains who have held them there for so long. But discovering the truth is not the same as freeing the people, a task that nearly costs them their homes and their lives.Dark Waters is rich in the culture of the island, En-Somi. The customs are ancient, the dialect unique, and the story has a wealth of characters of all ages, from young Marigold, a daughter of one of those held in slavery, or Frankie, the leader of the refugees, to the ancient bard, Olaf. Pick up this novel and you will find it hard to put it down again, and when you have read it, you will find it easy to believe that you have actually been there.

Marie and her family are safe inside their little home, but outside on the wild moor stands Jarvis, watching their bothy. He is bare foot and unkempt. Why is he watching them and why is it that he is so often close to places where there is trouble? Is Marie right to fear this strange man? It is a troubling time for the inhabitants of the Lonely Island. Their taxes are high, the climate is changing, survival is a struggle and now their limited resources are further depleted by theft. Who is stealing their food, and who beat up the old man, Holti? While the folk of the little village of Gamla Huss try to support themselves and the refugees who so recently arrived among them, Marie and her family are determined to find out what is going on. They struggle with worsening weather, with unfriendly wealthy islanders, and to track down both the thief and a mysterious benefactor. In the third book of the Lonely Island series, we meet many of the characters who first appeared in the earlier stories. Once again, the reader encounters ancient customs, fascinating characters, human failings and, in the end, the triumph of ordinary people.

Things seems relatively quiet on the isolated little island of En-Somi until a group of right-wing Auxiliaries arrive, bringing their culture of violence and arrogance. How will the ordinary islanders cope? And is the young bard, Elin and her child in danger? At the same time, those islanders who are living on the mainland and trying to resist the advance of tyrannical forces are threatened as never before. Into this turbulent situation comes wee Cory, a naive child from a Traveller community. Covenant of Light tells the story of a group of friends facing the problems of climate change, aggressive nationalism and violence, and finding a way of dealing with these issues in a manner that demonstrates their respect for the people they live among and the natural world of the island which is their home.

After overcoming so many difficulties, the ordinary people living on En-Somi might think that things would settle down at last, but life is rarely that simple. Wee Elin, who seemed likely to be the next bard and the first ever girl to have that role, becomes involved with the son of one of the wealthy elite. Can anything good come of this? And then the young teenager vanishes. Has she left the island? Is she even still alive? And will Marie be able to help her, if she is found?Through a hot and stormy summer, the folk of the little village of Hus speculate and worry. Only the old Bard, Olaf, becomes convinced that all will be well. Is it wishful thinking? Has he made a mistake, and is there another young one who will replace him when he goes?And what is going on at the old airport? Is it flooding because of rising sea levels, or is something else happening? Who owns that land, and why might anyone want to see it submerged?Hot, Hot Summer continues the tale of the folk that readers of the Lonely Island series have met before. You will not be able to put it down.