The Veiled Thread

by Stephen Twartz

In 1914, twenty year old Eiric is droving for his father with his brothers, Ted and Joe, and Jimmy, the farm hand who always looks out for them.

The boys yearn to break free from their controlling and aggressive father, but his manipulations stand in the way. Could the war in Palestine be a way for them to gain freedom?

Interwoven with the past is the present day story of Harry who discovers he is going to be a father. It's a shock as he was on the verge of ending the relationship with Frances and, to top it off, his working life seems to be falling apart. He feels trapped by everything. Then his grandfather visits and Harry finds himself confiding in the old man, searching for the source of his doubts. In the process, he unleashes a torrent of bitterness and recrimination within a divided family, a family grappling with the fallout from the madness of an almost forgotten war.

Two men's lives, one caught up in the hysteria of a war, both caught in a web of their infidelities and self-doubt, separated by a generation, bound together by the horrors of an insane conflict.

Will they ever be able to live without guilt and reconcile deeds that span the generations?

308 pages, Paperback

Published March 26, 2020

Reviews

[Geoff Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book because it was much more than a run of the mill paperback. In fact, it turned out to be a real page turner. I lose interest quickly in most fictional paperback stories, but this one held my interest to the end. Well worth a read and there is a promise of more books to come.

[Gill Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Veiled Thread is a brilliant read linking different generations together with a common thread. A captivating read which is difficult to put down once started.
Can’t wait for the next book!

[Darryl Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The content was relevant for our current time given the need to strengthen relationships between fathers, sons and grandfathers.

It also, addresses the disastrous medical condition we now call PTSD. As the reader, I found it extremely emotional to follow Sulli and his undiagnosed/untreated life sentence. The impact of this condition Post World War 2, affected many of our fathers & grandfathers.

The book brought to surface my own personal life experience attempting to understand my father and Uncles who all suffered with PTSD. Again, at the time, not recognised or treated let alone discussed with families.

In many cases the desire to open up and discuss with families the horror of war related experiences is just too hard as it can trigger an episode of PTSD. Unfortunately, I was unable to establish a close relationship with my father.

I found the content of the book extremely healing, reinforcing the need to be free of the past, live in the now and follow your dreams.

I recommend this book to all fathers and sons.

I look forward to the next book.

Darryl Kelly

[Helena Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book drew me in from the very first chapter. I loved how Stephen Twartz weaved together two timelines so seamlessly the struggles of young Eiric and his brothers in 1914 against their domineering father, and Harry’s present day turmoil as he faces fatherhood and family tensions. Both stories mirrored each other in such a raw, emotional way that I often found myself reflecting on how history shapes us across generations.

The writing felt vivid and heartfelt, especially in the wartime chapters, where you could almost sense the weight of choices made under impossible circumstances. At the same time, Harry’s modern day struggles were painfully relatable. The theme of guilt, family bonds, and the longing for freedom runs deep, and it lingered with me long after I finished the book.

A powerful and thought provoking read that beautifully captures how the past threads into the present.

[Juliana Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Veiled Thread is one of those rare books that lingers with you long after you’ve finished it. I was completely drawn into Eiric’s world the oppressive grip of his father, the restless yearning for freedom, and the looming shadow of war. Stephen Twartz paints the era of 1914 so vividly that I could almost smell the dust of the land and feel the tension simmering within the family. What really impressed me was how seamlessly the story transitioned into the present with Harry. His turmoil over impending fatherhood and the weight of family legacy mirrored Eiric’s struggles in such a profound way. This isn’t just a war story it’s a generational reflection on guilt, duty, and redemption. A deeply moving read.

[Calder Voss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt an emotional pull while reading The Veiled Thread. The relationship between Eiric and his brothers resonated with me it was so real, full of loyalty but also silent resentment under their father’s harshness. The war in Palestine isn’t something I’ve often read about, and Twartz brought that chapter of history alive with haunting clarity. The parallel storyline with Harry added another layer of depth, showing how family wounds never truly disappear, they ripple across time. I found myself pausing at several points, reflecting on how much of who we are is shaped by the past we inherit. This novel isn’t just about history it’s about the human condition, and that’s what makes it powerful.

[Celine Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I loved most about The Veiled Thread was how it captured the fragility of family bonds. Eiric’s conflict with his father and his brothers was gripping, but what hit me hardest was the way those old wounds bled into Harry’s life generations later. His uncertainty about fatherhood, his failing relationship, and his bitterness all felt painfully real. It made me think of how history doesn’t just stay in the past it shapes us, often in ways we don’t recognize. Twartz doesn’t give us easy answers, but he gives us characters so human that you feel every ounce of their fear, guilt, and hope. This is a book that demands you sit with it, reflect, and maybe even confront your own family’s threads.

[Amelia Rosewood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen Twartz has woven a story that feels both intimate and epic. At first, I was invested in the boys’ fight for independence from their father, but when the narrative shifted to Harry’s modern day struggles, it took on an even greater significance. The way Twartz connects two generations through guilt, secrets, and the scars of war is masterful. Harry’s grandfather’s presence in the story broke me; it reminded me of the conversations we never ask until it’s too late. The writing is rich, layered, and at times almost poetic, but what struck me most was how authentic the characters felt. I believed in them, I worried for them, and by the end, I carried a piece of them with me.

[Evelyn Marlowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading The Veiled Thread felt like peeling back layers of a family’s hidden wounds. I was especially moved by Eiric’s yearning for freedom it made me think of how universal that desire is, no matter the era. Twartz balances the brutality of war with the quiet brutality of domestic life under a domineering father, and the contrast is striking. Harry’s story in the present day mirrored Eiric’s in a way that kept me turning the pages, wondering how much of ourselves is really our own, and how much comes from those before us. At times the pacing slowed with details, but I didn’t mind it gave me space to sit with the weight of the story. A deeply thoughtful novel.

[Sudan Keeble · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just read The Veiled Thread, the story is of a grandfather who has lived through the trauma of war and a failing farm and his grandson who is trying to understand his actions in the present day.
Their lives resonated with my own experiences and it gave me a personal realisation of how trauma can travel through the generations. This understanding has given me the impetus to discuss with my siblings some of the experiences and reactions we had as children and still have today.
A beautifully crafted story, superbly written with engaging imagery.