This new collection builds on the success of my debut collection of fictional ghost stories, Disturbing the Water, broadening the settings, characters and themes.
As before, many of the protagonists are anglers, but there’s not much actual fishing in the stories, and you certainly don’t have to fish yourself to understand or enjoy them. This time round, there are prominent roles for, among others, a hydrobiologist, a cook, an actor, a missionary and a group of book clubbers.
There’s a broad range of settings as well. Some are fictional, others do exist, and one is a matter of opinion. Many of the stories are set within the UK, from Highland rivers to an ice-age lake and a village pond. Others are located in places as diverse as the USA, Cambodia and Serbia, as well as colonial India and Africa.
As well as some chills, there are tales of the unexplained and the unexpected, of love and loss, of mystery and intrigue, and of come-uppance and redemption. Several stories have a strong conservation theme, while others feature real history.