England: Blackburn, Lancashire, and elsewhere, 1955 to 1962

THE LONER is a moving tale of family love and heartbreak by a popular British writer of "North Country Sagas." This dramatic novel is divided into four parts.

Part I depicts the Adams family -- father Donal, mother Rita, son Davie -- who live with Rita's father, Joseph Davies. Davie is thirteen when the family falls apart. They were happy once, but over the years, Rita's behavior deteriorates to the point where Don can take no more of her lies and betrayals. Early one morning, Rita staggers home with her lies prepared and finds Don and Davie waiting up for her. A terrible row ensues; Don walks out, Davie chooses to stay, and Old Joe, also all out of good will, gives his daughter what for and tells her to leave his house. Davie still loves his mam and knows she'll need him to take care of her, and the two of them start walking. Rita was more injured in her accidental fall down the stairs than anyone knew; before they can find shelter, she dies in Davie's arms. With a silent goodbye to his mam and a swift one to his best friend, Judy Makepeace, Davie sets off on a journey away from all he knows and loves.

Part II follows a rapidly maturing Davie on his travels. His search for his dad proves fruitless, so he's all on his own. Part III takes us back to Blackburn where Davie's family and friends are going about the business of life, but Davie is not forgotten. In Part IV, we see Dave, the man, whose thoughts turn more and more to the home and the girl he left behind.

Nowadays, Rita's actions would probably be seen as a result of an illness, but in the 1950s, her family only knew that their love was not enough for her. They gave her that love and forgave her over and over, but when she was gone, they lived with guilt.

During Davie's sojourn, he meets a cross-section of people. The good outnumber the bad, but the influence on his life appears about equal. Several connected plots with lifelike characters and emotional scenarios run side-by-side with Davie's. Altogether, the complexity and richness along with colorful glimpses of post-war England make for a memorable read. Fortunately for her many fans, Josephine Cox has a long backlist, many available in North America as well as the UK. If she's as new to you as she was to me, I recommend THE LONER as a fine introduction.

Jane Bowers