The Gravedigger's Story
Ged's first novel was published on 5 April 2004, in Britain. Fay Weldon has described it as:
'A charming, melancholy yet eloquent tale, beautifully told.'
David Mason, of 'This is Worcester', said:
Here, actor Simmons does a splendid job of telling the heart-wrenching story of a life gone so tragically wrong.
A
promiscuous 1960s teenager falls pregnant to an unknown man, much to the distress
of her Irish Catholic parents. To preserve the family's honour, a neighbouring
widower agrees to marry her and give the child, Mason, the saving grace of social
respectability.
While Mason's mother has little time for him, his stepfather – the neighbour
- Dadda, dotes on him completely. Mason has many happy memories of the first
seven years of his life but this all ends abruptly when his mother leaves town
with another man, taking her son with her and ruthlessly cutting off all contact
with his beloved Dadda. Matters only get worse - his mother moves from one horrendous
partner to the next, creating an unstable and disturbed environment within which
Mason evolves into a social misfit. Eventually breaking free from his mother's
destructive influence, Mason embarks upon a soul-searching journey, living an
itinerant lifestyle while working menial jobs. Ultimately his search results
in a long-awaited reunion with Dadda, but brings with it an unforseen and shocking
twist. The Gravedigger's Story is a compelling hybrid of Alan Bennett and the
classics, a riveting read and a breathtaking debut.
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