Quicksand of Memory by Michael J. Malone
Jenna is trying to rebuild her life after a series of disastrous relationships.
Luke is struggling to provide a safe, loving home for his deceased partner’s young son, following a devastating tragedy.
When Jenna and Luke meet and fall in love, they are certain they can achieve the stability and happiness they both desperately need.
And yet, someone is watching.
Someone who has been scarred by past events. Someone who will stop at nothing to get revenge...
Dark, unsettling and immensely moving, Quicksand of Memory is a chilling reminder that we are not only punished for our sins, but by them, and that memories left to blacken and sharpen over time are the perfect breeding ground for obsession, and murder...
About the author
Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines, After He Died, In the Absence of Miracles and A Song of Isolation soon followed suit. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr.
Review
‘Quicksand of Memory’ is a stunningly woven narrative full of twists and turns that truly keeps you hooked. Malone is a master at creating characters that commit awful acts but yet you still have empathy for them as you learn about their story. Complex and real, they are people you won't forget for a while. It was a disturbing read but an empathic one. It just proves that the world is not black and white and is indeed a shade of murky grey.
There is one scene, in particular, that moved me and it's the one that the front cover is based on. I felt quite emotional reading it - a confused girl stood in front of a grave thinking she is crying… It was just sublime. Yes, this is a psychological thriller but it is much more than that. It examines masculinity both as a son, a person and a father. It highlights the generation of lost boys that have dealt with absent fathers and the culture of West Scotland that has a distinct working-class idea of what makes a man. Pair that up with out of town council estates, lack of opportunities and education and it is kindling for many a messed up life. I had a lot of time for Luke. He was trying to make a better life for himself and it made me remember something that happened to my mum. So she grew up in Drumchapel, Glasgow and was from a large family that suffered from all the above issues. I remember her brother beat her up one night in a drunken rage and it was her that got thrown out of the family home as she was too up herself for trying to get an education. Maybe it is living in Glasgow and knowing about its society but this book resonated with me deeply. It struck a careful balance of entertainment with a literary prowess that culminates in a book that has depth and the power to move the reader.
I loved it. Yet another 5⭐ book from the house of Orenda!
