Blacker's Wood
by
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"The logs had crackled gaily when first placed on the fire. Originally gathered with kindling from the
woods behind the cottage, they had been fetched from a stockpile next a gable
wall, where they made a tidy supply for the following winter. Having sat for two months, and with their
sap now dried, they burned well and threw out good heat. Some of the greener wood smoked a bit, and
evidence of down draughts from the narrow chimney could be seen in the
blackened walls and oblong smudges above the hearth.
The fire had been lit that morning, the first since the ending of
spring. Although it was late May, the
recent weather had been unseasonable and the cottage had been growing colder by
the day. The fire had been replenished
four times, but at present it was dying, and where once the wood had burned
fiercely red, now it was disfigured by grey striations as it shed heat and
substance. Ash began to form where once
there had been solid matter."
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About the Book
Michael Dawson, a gifted twelve year old, is recruited by an old woman neighbour, of Romany stock, to help her solve a family mystery. Aided by his friend, Maxie and Canis, Michael’s strange dog, he follows a trail from a nearby wood to 17th century war-torn Europe, where the exploits of a mercenary soldier, from whom the old woman is descended, throws light on the affair. A connection is made between the mercenary and an ancient sect, which results in danger, abduction and death before the mystery is solved.
About the Author
A retired civil servant, Jack Leathem lives with his wife Maureen, in Waringstown, a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. He was educated at Stranmillis teacher training college and Queen’s University, Belfast. He takes an active role in a local rugby and cricket club, plays golf and enjoys gardening. He writes poetry, short stories and the occasional longer work when he finds time to do so.