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Ivor's Ghosts
A glimpse of 8-year-old Ivor in a pretty market town inspires young artist Gemma Palmer to write and illustrate a children’s book.
Gemma next meets Ivor when she is 29 and he 16. They become lovers, to the consternation of Gemma’s friends…
For the real Ivor is quite different from the sunny character she turned him into in her much-loved books. Lurking in the secret places of his heart are impulses that are dangerous and malign. It can only be a matter of time before they are released, ready to strike. But when? Where? At whom?
A deceptively gentle comedy of rural life, set in an idyllic countryside, becomes a generation-spanning tale of murder and retribution that is deep, disturbing and dark.
Gemma next meets Ivor when she is 29 and he 16. They become lovers, to the consternation of Gemma’s friends…
For the real Ivor is quite different from the sunny character she turned him into in her much-loved books. Lurking in the secret places of his heart are impulses that are dangerous and malign. It can only be a matter of time before they are released, ready to strike. But when? Where? At whom?
A deceptively gentle comedy of rural life, set in an idyllic countryside, becomes a generation-spanning tale of murder and retribution that is deep, disturbing and dark.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 16, 2014
3 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Anthony McDonald
68 books107 followersAnthony McDonald studied history at Durham University. He worked very briefly as a musical instrument maker and as a farm labourer before moving into the theatre, where he has worked in almost every capacity except those of Director and Electrician.
His first novel, Orange Bitter, Orange Sweet, was published in 2001 and his second, Adam, in 2003.
Orange Bitter, Orange Sweet became the first book in a Seville trilogy that also comprises Along The Stars and Woodcock Flight.
Other books include the sequel to Adam, - Blue Sky Adam - and the stand-alone adventure story, Getting Orlando.
Ivor's Ghosts, a psychological thriller, was published in April 2014.
The Dog In The Chapel, and Ralph: Diary of a Gay Teen, both appeared in 2014. Anthony is the also the author of the Gay Romance series, which comprises ten short novels.
Anthony McDonald's short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies on both sides of the Atlantic
He has also written the scripts for several Words and Music events, based around the lives and works of composers including Schubert and Brahms, which have been performed in Britain and in Portugal.
His travel writing has appeared in the Independent newspaper.
After several years of living and teaching English in France McDonald is now based based in rural East Sussex.
His first novel, Orange Bitter, Orange Sweet, was published in 2001 and his second, Adam, in 2003.
Orange Bitter, Orange Sweet became the first book in a Seville trilogy that also comprises Along The Stars and Woodcock Flight.
Other books include the sequel to Adam, - Blue Sky Adam - and the stand-alone adventure story, Getting Orlando.
Ivor's Ghosts, a psychological thriller, was published in April 2014.
The Dog In The Chapel, and Ralph: Diary of a Gay Teen, both appeared in 2014. Anthony is the also the author of the Gay Romance series, which comprises ten short novels.
Anthony McDonald's short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies on both sides of the Atlantic
He has also written the scripts for several Words and Music events, based around the lives and works of composers including Schubert and Brahms, which have been performed in Britain and in Portugal.
His travel writing has appeared in the Independent newspaper.
After several years of living and teaching English in France McDonald is now based based in rural East Sussex.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 27, 2014
This book is a complete departure from Anthony's normal novels. It's a psychological Thriller that will leave you guessing right up to the end. He brings the Sussex countryside to life like no other. I swear after reading this I felt as if I had lived there all my life. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would never have guessed in a million years that it would end like it did. A 5 star read from a 5 star author. Deserves to be published in paperback for everyone to enjoy.
August 6, 2016
Anthony McDonald's books have become a must buy for me. I think to date I've read everything he's written and I've never been disappointed.
His prose is magical and wonderful and the development of his characters will have you falling in love with each and every one of them.
Not to mention the detail he goes into describing the environment surrounding them.
It's become a regular habit of mine to read each book with a Bing map open on my PC to follow their journeys and to experience with a birds eye view the beauty written in his books.
Thanks for another great read Anthony...
His prose is magical and wonderful and the development of his characters will have you falling in love with each and every one of them.
Not to mention the detail he goes into describing the environment surrounding them.
It's become a regular habit of mine to read each book with a Bing map open on my PC to follow their journeys and to experience with a birds eye view the beauty written in his books.
Thanks for another great read Anthony...
October 28, 2020
I've been binge-reading Anthony McDonald's books on Kindle, and even deigned to order the print version of Boy Next Door, since that one doesn't seem to be available in Kindle form. Lord knows what I'm going to do when I've read the last of McDonald's books. Ivor's Ghosts is one I had put off because it didn't look like the typical gay romance and I wasn't sure I would enjoy it. Boy, was I wrong! As others have pointed out, the novel is atypical of McDonald, but a thoroughly engrossing psychological thriller. The main character sems at first to be a superficially disagreeable psychopath, but what the author does to show his growth in character over the years is remarkable. Lots of surprises, lots of heart, and the ending blew my mind. Did not see that coming. Don't miss this book!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews