The Boat in the Bay

“…off his starboard bow clouds of spray were flying over the cabin of the boat in the bay, tethered to her unseen mooring ... a faint vibrating sound rumbled towards him across the lake. Something was wrong, he was sure of that, but he could not work out what and there was no time now to go and look…” It is July 1929. Four children arrive for a boating holiday to find themselves locked out, the lake flooded and their boat inaccessible. But they soon discover that is only the beginning of things. Minor mishaps slowly become more threatening. Trivial decisions turn out to have distant and dreadful consequences. Problems that appear solved gradually change to something more serious. In a thrilling climax, as the children discover the secret of the old boat moored in the bay, courage and resourcefulness are not enough and it is uncertain who will survive. Kennedy’s first novel, published in 2010, was an affectionate homage to Arthur Ransome. It is re-issued here in a completely revised edition, including an Afterword.