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Sciron
How can a ghost haunt the top floor of a new building? A murder victim’s spirit cannot escape the former railway line where he worked and was killed. Other victims of the same incident haunt a young Yorkshire man. A former soldier is researching his father’s disappearance when he stumbles across a wartime act of sabotage. A young couple and their son, unaware of the history of the huge stone wall that faces their flat, receive terrifying visitations. But who was the spy, codenamed Sciron, who was responsible for destruction, betrayal and death?
250 pages, Paperback
First published January 21, 2012
5 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
David Rashleigh
2 books74 followersDavid Rashleigh was born in Bedford, England, a descendent of a branch of the Rashleigh family that still inhabits Menabilly, near Fowey in Cornwall. Aged 13, he won a scholarship to be educated at Bedford School. Following spectacularly bad A-level results, he spent a year travelling the world with the merchant navy, during which time he saw an awful lot of water. This was followed by a career in the RAF, best described as "inglorious and short". Eventually, he found his niche as a railway signalling engineer, at which he has enjoyed significantly greater success.
His career as an author is entirely accidental. An interest in history and especially how it surrounds us every day led to the idea for Sciron: writing the book was greatly helped by having a separate study and a deep dislike of soap operas and "reality" television. The dramatis personae in Sciron are not based on any real people, although David could not resist inflicting some facets of his own personality on more than one of the characters. Naturally, he will not own up to which people he has blessed in this manner. Prospective readers should, however, note that Sciron is not in any way a funny book. Apart from the bit where...but that would be telling.
Besides history, David's interests include aviation (he holds a rarely-used private pilot's licence) and target shooting; the latter largely to impress his daughter's boyfriends with his easy-going but protective nature.
David first visited Lancashire (the location for much of Sciron) in 1985, intending to stay for just one week. He is still there. He lives in Penwortham with his wife and two children.
His career as an author is entirely accidental. An interest in history and especially how it surrounds us every day led to the idea for Sciron: writing the book was greatly helped by having a separate study and a deep dislike of soap operas and "reality" television. The dramatis personae in Sciron are not based on any real people, although David could not resist inflicting some facets of his own personality on more than one of the characters. Naturally, he will not own up to which people he has blessed in this manner. Prospective readers should, however, note that Sciron is not in any way a funny book. Apart from the bit where...but that would be telling.
Besides history, David's interests include aviation (he holds a rarely-used private pilot's licence) and target shooting; the latter largely to impress his daughter's boyfriends with his easy-going but protective nature.
David first visited Lancashire (the location for much of Sciron) in 1985, intending to stay for just one week. He is still there. He lives in Penwortham with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 18, 2013
The intriguing and beautiful cover draws you in, then the story engages and holds you from beginning to end. A ghost story, but an unusual one; there’s nothing Gothic about Sciron. This tale of a haunted flat on a dreary Preston housing estate has more in common with the gritty reality of the Enfield Poltergeist than anything by Edgar Allen Poe.
The characterisation is excellent - these are real people, recognisable, ordinary folk; the kind we all know. My only gripe and it’s but a small one, – would have liked to see more of Mike Simpson. He was my favourite character. I felt he had a lot more mileage.
In short, Sciron is like a finely stitched tapestry: disparate threads brought skilfully together, to make a finely crafted whole - from the start, to the bitter, unexpected, far from happy, thoroughly satisfying end. Highly recommended.
The characterisation is excellent - these are real people, recognisable, ordinary folk; the kind we all know. My only gripe and it’s but a small one, – would have liked to see more of Mike Simpson. He was my favourite character. I felt he had a lot more mileage.
In short, Sciron is like a finely stitched tapestry: disparate threads brought skilfully together, to make a finely crafted whole - from the start, to the bitter, unexpected, far from happy, thoroughly satisfying end. Highly recommended.
May 19, 2013
Sciron won me. I was reading a couple of other stories on my Kindle, but Sciron bossed the others to one side. I read it in about three days and found myself looking forward to getting the odd hour to be with it.
A deftly woven ghost story with roots in British wartime history and the politics of the 1930s, Sciron is expertly told from the perspective of four different groups of people with a fifth spectral group making their presence felt increasingly.
The range of characters involved is wide, spanning generations, social and political outlooks. The characters are skillfully drawn and all are believable. Some are competent, some are feckless, some are accomplished, some are bitter, some are hopeful. Romance lurks as does tragedy. Some are at the end of their lives, others are at the start. The past also feels like it it very much present.
The story is set mostly in Lancashire and is very much a story of place, past and present.
The story-telling is meticulous and convincing. Dabs of information are fed to the reader at appropriate moments to give credibility.
The language and writing is fluid and intelligent. A good range of vocabulary is deployed which added to the pleasure of the read for me without ever feeling burdensome. In fact, it was great to read a story where the English is not damaged by the writer. There are no gonnas, wannas, causes, or other lazinesses. The English is crisp and clean. The author relies on the strength of his story to win the reader and does not resort to any cheap tacticts. He is patient. Nor does he baffle us. We know where we are in the story, though there are still some very clever tricks as the story reaches its conclusion.
Being from Lancashing and having some knowledge of the story's setting I was especially interested. And I do enjoy the odd ghost story and I am always interested in British history. So Sciron definitely won me over. It believe it will also be of great interest to anyone who is interested in family history.
Ron Askew
A deftly woven ghost story with roots in British wartime history and the politics of the 1930s, Sciron is expertly told from the perspective of four different groups of people with a fifth spectral group making their presence felt increasingly.
The range of characters involved is wide, spanning generations, social and political outlooks. The characters are skillfully drawn and all are believable. Some are competent, some are feckless, some are accomplished, some are bitter, some are hopeful. Romance lurks as does tragedy. Some are at the end of their lives, others are at the start. The past also feels like it it very much present.
The story is set mostly in Lancashire and is very much a story of place, past and present.
The story-telling is meticulous and convincing. Dabs of information are fed to the reader at appropriate moments to give credibility.
The language and writing is fluid and intelligent. A good range of vocabulary is deployed which added to the pleasure of the read for me without ever feeling burdensome. In fact, it was great to read a story where the English is not damaged by the writer. There are no gonnas, wannas, causes, or other lazinesses. The English is crisp and clean. The author relies on the strength of his story to win the reader and does not resort to any cheap tacticts. He is patient. Nor does he baffle us. We know where we are in the story, though there are still some very clever tricks as the story reaches its conclusion.
Being from Lancashing and having some knowledge of the story's setting I was especially interested. And I do enjoy the odd ghost story and I am always interested in British history. So Sciron definitely won me over. It believe it will also be of great interest to anyone who is interested in family history.
Ron Askew
December 30, 2012
Initially I found the omniscient viewpoint a little off putting. Personally I prefer close third point of view. However, I was intrigued by the plot-what had happened to the signal man?-and how all the character's stories would eventually converge. For that reason I was hooked and I'm glad that I kept reading. Sciron is a well-crafted novel, that cleverly intertwines several plot lines into one, dramatic ending. There are plenty of twists in turns as Jack Melling searches for the truth about what happened to his father, a signalman who vanished one night around sixty years earlier. As all the plot lines start to converge on a rainy Thursday, the book becomes impossible to put down-literally.
Most of the characters are likeable-except the ones that aren't meant to be-and there's a very sweet subplot that continuously made me smile. Another thing I enjoyed about the novel was the descriptions of places I'm familiar with, such as Preston and the M6 motorway. I have to say, the author gets the traffic james on that motorway exactly right!
If you enjoy mysteries or ghost stories, you should check out this novel.
Most of the characters are likeable-except the ones that aren't meant to be-and there's a very sweet subplot that continuously made me smile. Another thing I enjoyed about the novel was the descriptions of places I'm familiar with, such as Preston and the M6 motorway. I have to say, the author gets the traffic james on that motorway exactly right!
If you enjoy mysteries or ghost stories, you should check out this novel.
September 1, 2012
"Hauntingly beautiful..." describes David Rashleigh's book. He drew me easily into this amazing tale, in a well-written story that one will remember. David does a great job bringing his characters to life and keeps the story moving smoothly. A very enjoyable read.
March 10, 2025
The Mystery Of A Wartime Death
While Jack Rimmer was investigating the death of his father who had died before he was born. It became quite the mystery because no one seemed to know exactly what had happened to him but he was determined to find out. In 1941 WW II was raging and this was the time alot of deaths. Someone named Sciron was involved with the sabotage of the train, to keep guns and ammunition from reaching the ship SS Orsetes which was bombed and all the people aboard was killed.
Now the ghost have come and want the ones responsible for their deaths.
While Jack Rimmer was investigating the death of his father who had died before he was born. It became quite the mystery because no one seemed to know exactly what had happened to him but he was determined to find out. In 1941 WW II was raging and this was the time alot of deaths. Someone named Sciron was involved with the sabotage of the train, to keep guns and ammunition from reaching the ship SS Orsetes which was bombed and all the people aboard was killed.
Now the ghost have come and want the ones responsible for their deaths.
December 3, 2012
I should preface this review by stating a couple of things which had me immediately enthralled with this book. Firstly, I tend to be a bit of a history geek. From the outset I was treated to an historical backdrop which was greatly detailed. Secondly, I have a soft spot for proper English - the Queen's tongue, as it were. It seems to me that the British are alone in the ability to convey a poetic aspect within their prose, and I state this despite being American. At any rate, my enjoyment of this novel was increased in no small measure simply due to the aforementioned.
When one thinks of ghost stories, the topic calls to mind childhood fables told to evoke goosebumps. This was nothing of the kind. This is more mystery than ghost story, with the ghosts playing a role as voices from the past. I was treated to several historical and geographical lessons as the author sent me along with Jack Rimmer on his(initially unknowing)quest to find who had killed his father whilst he was but a child in his mother's womb. The plot descends from actions taken in an effort to stop the British government from aiding allies during the World War II era and brings us into the modern epoch. Old crimes, old regrets, enigmas long past which must be sorted out and brought to a conclusion.
Again, this book drew me in from the beginning with the use of a superior vocabulary and historical references. Much akin to the classics, Mr. Rashleigh writes for an audience which is presumed to be literate. This is an excellent story told by an author who writes with a flourish not commonly seen at present. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Sciron.
When one thinks of ghost stories, the topic calls to mind childhood fables told to evoke goosebumps. This was nothing of the kind. This is more mystery than ghost story, with the ghosts playing a role as voices from the past. I was treated to several historical and geographical lessons as the author sent me along with Jack Rimmer on his(initially unknowing)quest to find who had killed his father whilst he was but a child in his mother's womb. The plot descends from actions taken in an effort to stop the British government from aiding allies during the World War II era and brings us into the modern epoch. Old crimes, old regrets, enigmas long past which must be sorted out and brought to a conclusion.
Again, this book drew me in from the beginning with the use of a superior vocabulary and historical references. Much akin to the classics, Mr. Rashleigh writes for an audience which is presumed to be literate. This is an excellent story told by an author who writes with a flourish not commonly seen at present. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Sciron.
February 20, 2013
I found Sciron and David Rashleigh through twitter and I would normally get recommendations from the papers or book clubs. I suggested it to our bookclub and we're all currently reading it and will discuss at our next meeting.
What a great read and I would have liked to read it all in one go, but other things got in the way. I've never been excited by a ghost story before but after reading the first few pages I was hooked. I wanted to know what happened to each character and how they converged at the end. Lovely historical facts about Lancashire and Preston port. I would highly recommend this book.
What a great read and I would have liked to read it all in one go, but other things got in the way. I've never been excited by a ghost story before but after reading the first few pages I was hooked. I wanted to know what happened to each character and how they converged at the end. Lovely historical facts about Lancashire and Preston port. I would highly recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews