The Drowned Village

‘Drew me straight in and kept me hooked.’ Linda Finlay, author of The Flower Seller

Beneath the surface lie forgotten secrets…

A village destroyed

It’s the summer of 1935 and eleven-year-old Stella Walker is preparing to leave her home forever. Forced to evacuate to make way for a new reservoir, the village of Brackendale Green will soon be lost. But before the water has even reached them, a dreadful event threatens to tear Stella’s family apart.

An uncovered secret

Present day, and a fierce summer has dried up the lake and revealed the remnants of the deserted village. Now an old woman, Stella begs her granddaughter Laura to make the journey she can’t. She’s sure the village still holds answers for her but, with only days until the floodwaters start to rise again, Laura is in a race against time to solve the mysteries of Stella’s almost forgotten past.

Haunting and evocative, The Drowned Village reaches across the decades in an unforgettable tale of love, loss and family.

Readers LOVE The Drowned Village!

‘What an amazing surprise!! After a few pages I was so totally engrossed that I could not put it down… Really did not want this book to end.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Wow, this story literally grabbed a hold of me and sucked me in. I was gripped and sitting on the edge of my seat… I literally could not turn the pages fast enough.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Wow, what a great book! I couldn't put it down and raced to the end.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘McGurl manages to keep the reader guessing until the very last chapter, at which point this reader got goosebumps (and again now as I write this), and tears in her eyes.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Very good. Stayed up all night reading it!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘This book was amazing!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it… I would highly recommend it to everyone.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

Reviews

‘The Drowned Village with its dual timelines is a compelling story which drew me straight in and kept me hooked until the past met the future in a satisfying ending. Look forward to reading more from this author.’ Linda Finlay, author of The Flower Seller

‘Really touching, a gently gripping mystery. Made me desperate to visit the Lake District!’ Kerry Barrett

About the author

Kathleen McGurl lives near the sea in Bournemouth, UK, with her husband and elderly tabby cat. She has two sons who are now grown-up and have left home. She began her writing career creating short stories, and sold dozens to women’s magazines in the UK and Australia. Then she got side-tracked onto family history research – which led eventually to writing novels with genealogy themes. She has always been fascinated by the past, and the ways in which the past can influence the present, and enjoys exploring these links in her novels.
When not writing or working at her full-time job in IT, she likes to go out running. She also adores mountains and is never happier than when striding across the Lake District fells, following a route from a Wainwright guidebook.
You can find out more at her website: http://kathleenmcgurl.com/, or follow her on Twitter: @KathMcGurl.