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A Thread in Time
Recently bereaved, David starts clearing his father's house on the shore of the Solway Firth. He discovers a hidden journal which depicts his young father's life in 1970s Jamaica. Here is the vibrancy of the island landscape - political intrigues, assassinations and a young man embroiled in a passionate relationship with a Jamaican musician. For David there are crucial questions which need answering. His search takes him and his son, Joe, to the mountains and coral reefs of Jamaica and to the Mayan ruins of Mexico. What he discovers is totally unexpected and life-changing.
248 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 20, 2020
I loved this book. I lived in Jamaica in the early 70s, and the author's description of this beautiful island was spot on! The "threads" between present time and the 70s, the locations, and the characters kept me up reading way too late.
January 25, 2023
I came across this book by chance in our local bookshop in Cumbria and was drawn to it because of the local connection. I became completely absorbed.
The story follows David who is sorting through his late father's belongings. He finds a diary and discovers that his father had lived in Jamaica for a time. As he reads more he becomes fascinated with Jamaica and the political issues of the late 1970s. He also realises that the short time his father spent in Jamaica made a life-long impact on his life. But the diary ends abruptly and David is left wondering how his father's story ended - and whether he can still find out.
For me, the Cumbrian connection added a little icing to the story. I love it when a character pops into their local cafe and it is somewhere I have spent many an hour. It brings the story so much into focus. The descriptions of the Solway are beautiful as well (and I see from other reviews, that reviewers say his description of Jamaica are very accurate). It is interesting that the author sees a similarity in the two landscapes.
I have never experienced this before, but I really wanted this to be a true story. There were a few things which seemed a bit unrealistic - suddenly meeting a Jamaican lady in the cafe for example - but then I've had so many odd coincidences in life that maybe it could happen. But regardless, I loved the tale and maybe one day I will go to Jamaica to explore all the places which are described.
The story follows David who is sorting through his late father's belongings. He finds a diary and discovers that his father had lived in Jamaica for a time. As he reads more he becomes fascinated with Jamaica and the political issues of the late 1970s. He also realises that the short time his father spent in Jamaica made a life-long impact on his life. But the diary ends abruptly and David is left wondering how his father's story ended - and whether he can still find out.
For me, the Cumbrian connection added a little icing to the story. I love it when a character pops into their local cafe and it is somewhere I have spent many an hour. It brings the story so much into focus. The descriptions of the Solway are beautiful as well (and I see from other reviews, that reviewers say his description of Jamaica are very accurate). It is interesting that the author sees a similarity in the two landscapes.
I have never experienced this before, but I really wanted this to be a true story. There were a few things which seemed a bit unrealistic - suddenly meeting a Jamaican lady in the cafe for example - but then I've had so many odd coincidences in life that maybe it could happen. But regardless, I loved the tale and maybe one day I will go to Jamaica to explore all the places which are described.
April 18, 2020
This is a multi layered story of three generations of a family in three countries over forty years. It starts with David in Cumbria discovering, after his father’s death, that he had spent some years in Jamaica in the 1970s involved in the revolution there. Not only that but Will (his father) had an affair there with a Jamaican girl, Maya. David, along with his young son, decides to go and search for Maya and so starts quite an adventure.
I loved the comparisons between the landscapes of the two locations, several of the well drawn characters and the ending ... which I won’t describe.
For history buffs, lovers of Bob Marley and readers of exotic romances, this is highly recommended.
I loved the comparisons between the landscapes of the two locations, several of the well drawn characters and the ending ... which I won’t describe.
For history buffs, lovers of Bob Marley and readers of exotic romances, this is highly recommended.
June 23, 2020
A Thread in Time is a poignant and charming story. As someone who lived and worked in Jamaica in part of the period that the novel is set in, I can vouch for the fact that it is based around actual locations and events. Thus it also represents something of an insight into the history of the Jamaica of the seventies, as well as something of its geography. The novel has several threads, as the title suggests, not least of which is the issue of relationships across the racial divide - a topic that is on our minds today.
July 18, 2020
This book is a fantastic, quick read. It deserves accolades. It allows the reader to visualize a simple life in Jamaica in the 70’s, but to appreciate there can always be complex consequences. The writer succeeds in invoking a wide range of emotions: father-son relations, death of a parent, deep regret, romance, and intense desire to understand a person’s identity and history. The story keeps your interest throughout. It is honestly a wonderful book and fabulously well written.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews