A family mystery lies dormant, awaiting discovery in this sorrowful family drama. 29 year old Jess journeys to Northumberland after suffering a tragedy in her life, when she visits a house called Sea Music, past secrets and lies begin to unravel. Briege Brannigan slips backwards and forwards in time to tell this story, unveiling snapshots of new characters. It almost felt to me at times, as though there were a number of short stories being told, even though they are linked, each person’s individual story feels distinctive, consequently you feel the fractured nature of this family. Due to the number of characters, a distance is maintained, I felt as though I was listening in, watching from afar. This is a story that feels plausible, it feels as though a truth is being told, yet ’Sea Music’ sings a song of distortion and deception with compassion. ~ Liz Robinson
After a traumatic few months, artist Jess Cooper arrives in Northumberland to recuperate and to reassess her life. Idly looking in an estate agent's window, she is drawn to Sea Music - a cliff-top house overlooking the North Sea. Enchanted by the name, she is inexplicably compelled to view it. While there she has a strong sense of deja vu - warm feelings at first, giving way to a sense of loneliness and searching for someone. At the top of the cellar steps, she is suddenly light-headed and unable to make the move to descend. Something unpleasant is clawing at her mind, but she can't bring it to the fore. That evening she is haunted by a woman's face and a name - Lydia. Always believing she has no relatives apart from her parents, she is shocked to learn that Lydia was her aunt who died in a mysterious fall at Sea Music. She also discovers that Lydia's baby son was abducted a few years before her death, and the abductor never found. Jess sets out to unearth the reasons why her parents never told her about her aunt and the events leading up to Lydia's mysterious death. Sea Music is a gripping story of betrayal and tragedy, loss and guilt. Spanning more than thirty years, Sea Music is a compelling story of one woman's search for the truth. This book will appeal to fans of mystery fiction.
Born and raised in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, Briege Brannigan worked in London after leaving school and has lived in Lancashire since 1975. She has been writing as a hobby for most of her life.
