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Dark Runs the River
For James and Piers, life seems to offer everything – successful careers, financial security, a home of their own, cherished friendships, and holidays spent in Wales and East Anglia. Most of all, they have their deep love for each other.
But can their relationship survive the prejudice of others, especially James' controlling mother, Alice Kendrick, who is determined to tear them apart? As pressure mounts at work, James is forced to confront not only a dark and unsettling past but also the manipulative Marcus Stone, whose influence threatens to unravel everything.
Together, they share passions for gardening, church architecture, Venice, and even Piers' sometimes comical attempts at flower arranging. Yet, as the heat of the summer of 1976 builds, their simple pleasures are eclipsed by events that will test their love to its limits. A weekend by the sea becomes a defining moment, one from which there can be no return.
Set against the backdrop of university politics and ambition, Dark Runs the River is a tender yet gripping story of love, loss, and the strength to endure.
But can their relationship survive the prejudice of others, especially James' controlling mother, Alice Kendrick, who is determined to tear them apart? As pressure mounts at work, James is forced to confront not only a dark and unsettling past but also the manipulative Marcus Stone, whose influence threatens to unravel everything.
Together, they share passions for gardening, church architecture, Venice, and even Piers' sometimes comical attempts at flower arranging. Yet, as the heat of the summer of 1976 builds, their simple pleasures are eclipsed by events that will test their love to its limits. A weekend by the sea becomes a defining moment, one from which there can be no return.
Set against the backdrop of university politics and ambition, Dark Runs the River is a tender yet gripping story of love, loss, and the strength to endure.
206 pages, Paperback
Published August 15, 2025
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October 1, 2025
Lance Hattatt is well known for his gardening books but I believe this is his first foray into fiction.
He writes of a gay relationship - two young men, a couple who meet in their twenties and the book tells the story of their lives and their relationship - and how it all unfolds.
It is set mainly in the early seventies and we see the homophobia of the time as well the joy of young love. But the story develops in a devastating way.
Hattatt is good on the detail of the time and brings a page-turning sense of suspense.
As a gay man I found this a compelling and profound read. It is a book that has been on my mind since reading it and it would be great if Hattatt can find it in himself to continue the story in a new volume.
He writes of a gay relationship - two young men, a couple who meet in their twenties and the book tells the story of their lives and their relationship - and how it all unfolds.
It is set mainly in the early seventies and we see the homophobia of the time as well the joy of young love. But the story develops in a devastating way.
Hattatt is good on the detail of the time and brings a page-turning sense of suspense.
As a gay man I found this a compelling and profound read. It is a book that has been on my mind since reading it and it would be great if Hattatt can find it in himself to continue the story in a new volume.
Displaying 1 of 1 review