The Book of Guilt

In this England the Second World War ended in stalemate, and by 1979 the state runs something called the Sycamore Scheme. Vincent, Lawrence and William, triplets aged thirteen, are the final residents of its home in the New Forest, raised by three 'mothers'. Every day they swallow medicine meant to guard them against a mysterious disease that has carried off many of the other children, and they long for the Big House in Margate, where survivors are said to be sent. In Exeter, Nancy's parents keep her indoors at all times. Now a Minister of Loneliness has orders to close the homes and place the children in the community, a visit from girls of another home casts doubt on the medicine, and the boys' paths start to meet Nancy's as the scheme's secrets surface.

AI-generated summary

About the book

Form

Novel

Length

400 pages in the original

Genres

Speculative (assigned by AI)

Set in

United Kingdom, 1979

First published

2025 by Te Herenga Waka University Press

Author's age

55 when first published

ISBN

9781776922246 (Te Herenga Waka University Press, New Zealand)

9781399823616 (Hodder & Stoughton, United Kingdom)

9781538774076 (Cardinal, United States)

9781776923151 (Te Herenga Waka University Press, New Zealand)

9781538774083 (Cardinal, United States)

More

Wikidata