Never: A Word

by Andy Christopher Miller

In 1927, on a beautiful stretch of the Dorset coast, a mother of three walks into the sea and drowns. Fifty-five years later, Sue Roberts hears about the manner of her grandmother’s death for the first time.How and why have her parents kept this shocking secret from her?And what has blunted her own curiosity so effectively and for so long?As Sue delicately prises further information from her unstable mother, she learns that her kind-hearted father has not only forbidden all discussion about the tragedy but has never allowed his mother’s name to be mentioned - or even known.But ‘Never’ is a word Sue cannot accept.Determined to discover more and rescue her grandmother from obscurity, Sue attempts to piece together elements of her grandmother’s life.If Sue pursues the truth, though, will her own life and family break apart?'impressive ... raises issues of identity and family relationships that are likely to resonate widely ... they certainly struck chords with me' - Graham Sellors, Playwright'... a very readable style, and a talent for an original image and turn of phrase ... the pages turn themselves' - Judi Moore, Author

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2021

About the author

Andy Christopher Miller was born in the Lost Children’s Hut on Weymouth Beach, England, in 1946. (The local maternity hospital was full as a result of the post-War ‘baby bulge’, necessitating this temporary overspill arrangement). He can recite almost verbatim the entire content of the adjacent Punch and Judy show.

Andy has been writing since his school days, publishing poetry in his school, then college, and finally national-level magazines culminating in his winning, in 2011, the international Yeovil Literary Prize for Poetry.

He began writing a daily diary in 1967 and this now exceeds ‘War and Peace’ by more than three and a half times. In length if not in literary quality!

As a life long enthusiast for rock climbing, mountaineering, wildernesses and coasts, Andy has published articles in a range of related magazines and journals. He has a long track record of ten books, chapters and journal articles in his professional capacity as a practicing and academic psychologist and an Honorary Professor at the Universities of both Nottingham and Warwick.

He has self-published four books in the past decade:

• ‘Never: A Word’ – a novel set mainly on the Dorset coast and following three generations of women as they grapple with the consequences of family tragedy and secrets through a century of social change.

• ‘The Ragged Weave of Yesterday’ – an examination of the purpose and psychology behind the strange but widespread practice of chronicling a life through personal diary and blog writing.

• ‘The Naples of England’ – a lightly fictionalised memoir and affectionate look at growing up on a council estate in post-War seaside Britain.

• ‘While Giants Sleep’ - an anthology of his published and unpublished essays and poetry.

In all his writing, - fiction and non-fiction, prose and poetry – Andy has explored themes of families and relationships, adventure and resilience, individual psychology and social history.

Reviews

[Andy Miller]

This is my video introduction to my book, 'Never: A Word':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvqMN...

[Judi Moore]

In 2018 I heard Andy Miller give a ‘Friends of Weymouth Library’ talk about growing up in Weymouth, published as 'The Naples of England'. So interesting were his memories that I at once offered to review the book. At that time he hinted that there were matters in the memoir that deserved a book of their own. This is that book. I see he has moved it from memoir into fiction. However, I understand it still contains the bones of his own family’s story. It also draws on his career as a psychologist, and his passion for rock climbing. It is set in Weymouth, Portsmouth and the area around Ilkley.

The back cover matter tells us: “In 1927, on a beautiful stretch of the Dorset coast, a mother of three walks into the sea and drowns. Fifty-five years later, Sue Roberts hears about the manner of her grandmother’s death for the first time. As she delicately prises further information from her unstable mother, Sue learns that her kind-hearted father has forbidden all discussion of the tragedy. He has never even allowed his mother’s name to be known. But ‘never’ is a word Sue cannot accept.”

Milleris an award-winning poet, author and psychologist. He grew up on the Dorset coast and has published widely in a range of genres. He has also served as an honorary professor at two British universities. He now lives in Derbyshire. This is his first work of fiction.

The story is fascinating. We perhaps find it difficult to understand what would make a family completely ostracise a member. We are more open to the range of human behaviour. In 1927 suicide was still illegal and, in a world where the vast majority of people lived in poverty, they didn’t have much to lose except their reputations.

The book has three strands: Sue’s search for her grandmother; Sue’s early life, growing into adulthood, relationship with her sister, with her parents – and their relationships with each other; the life of Sue’s grandmother ending with her final day.

The book is set in Ilkley (where Sue lives as a married woman) Portsmouth (where her parents live the later part of their lives) and Weymouth (where they grew up, and where Sue’s sister still lives).
The heart of the book is the secret which we watch Sue unravel. However, just as fascinating is the life of her parents. As the book proceeds we become increasingly aware that they are not the people she thought they were. You may wonder as you read about that whether your own family is quite as you supposed – I know I did. And, despite the importance of these two strands, without the historical sections in Weymouth about Sue’s grandmother’s life there would be no book.

Miller has a very readable style, and a talent for an original image and turn of phrase, as here: “One lost relation searching hopelessly for another in stagnant banks of sea fret.” The pages turn themselves, as one hopes for resolution in both the past and the present.

I will just huff that I have no idea where ‘the clean, white, soaring spire of St Mark’s’ may be found in Weymouth or the surrounding countryside. Or is it somewhere else entirely?

NB: I was working from an electronic ARC so cannot comment on the accuracy of the published text.

[Bill Bevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brings out the dichotomy in values and ways of talking to each other that different generations of one family have. Shows the deep fascination we have with our family heritage and a good companion to the Naples of England.