Twenty Thousand Saints

“A wild, exhilarating read.” –Catherine Taylor, The Guardian

“Pick of the Year. Compelling.” –Prospect Magazine

“Wry and tender… about the relationship between nature and civilisation… relationships… the lure of being alone… [and] necessary uncertainty.” –Anna Kiernan, New Welsh Review

“Bristles with imagery, yet moves with the languid pace of island life through language and culture, myth and misunderstanding, sexuality and privacy. It is warm, witty, intelligent, perceptive and beautifully crafted.” The Western Mail

Archaeologist Deian returns to the island of his childhood, where his mother disappeared without a trace. Sister Viv, closet heretic and host of the annual conference of hermits, has erected a gold plaque in her memory, declaring her official sainthood. Meanwhile, documentary-maker Leri is keen to portray the island’s inhabitants as anything but saintly, pursuing a story that has less to do with birds and saints’ bones than with real bloodshed. During this hot August week, a writer-in-residence observes lives colliding, as Bardsey Island twirls once more for the cameras… A black comedy about finds, losses, secrets, privacy and intrusion, and how the most important things always happen off-camera