Overview

It is 2018, and Rawlings is ready to make a fresh start - but his life rarely goes to plan.Lying in hospital after what he hopes will be his last leg operation, Rawlings reflects that he is now free and without any responsibilities. His brief affair with Marnie is over and his grandson Felix is in Australia with his aunt's family. As soon as he is out of hospital, he will move into his new London abode, the garden flat of his friend Max's Putney house, and make plans for his future. The year begins well. Always wary of family life, Rawlings meets Max's sisters Hetty and Bel, and to his surprise enjoys their company. He also makes a rewarding trip to see his long-neglected sister Stella in Scotland. But on his return, things start to go awry. From his Skype calls to Felix, it is obvious the boy is unsettled and unhappy. A visit to the family in Australia confirms his worst fears and he discusses with Isobel (his great friend and also Felix's guardian) how they can get the boy returned to them and save him further distress. At the same time, he finds himself under pressure to write another book about the Sarajevo Siege. This means making a visit to the City, which reawakens traumatic memories and the ghost of his lost love Mia. He then makes the decision to visit Mia's family in Vermont and use her notebooks and photographs. This visit is a revelation and produces many surprises, some of them disturbing and shocking. As the year of trials unfolds, many questions arise. Will Rawlings manage to get Felix returned to England before real damage is done? Will he get the Sarajevo book written? Will he be able to withstand the advances of two unstable and neurotic women? Will Isobel, the only person he relies on, finally lose patience with him? Throughout it all Rawlings, still suffering from PTSD, remains the same taciturn, difficult but charming character. However, as the year progresses, he changes, becoming far more reflective and soul-searching. He knows there is something missing from his life...

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9781838369774

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Reviews

This is a great story greatly told. A masterly narrative for a powerful and exciting journey. What a joy to read! Derek Jacobi; The second part of the E G Rawlings Trilogy introduces a miscellany of upper middle-class families. As he visits Dundee, Adelaide, Boston and Sarajevo, further problems await the conscientious Rawlings. Timothy West; EG Rawlings. The grandfather I wish I'd had and the one I'd wish to be. So moving, in so many directions. Ian Lavender; I much enjoyed the company of the amusingly taciturn Mr E.G. Rawlings in the first volume of Jane McCulloch's Trilogy, and was not disappointed to meet him and his friends again. He certainly endures more life-changing experiences than is usual for 'a plain, blunt man'. At one point our engaging war correspondent hero remarks: I'm certain I could never become a novelist. It's hard enough writing facts. The thought of working from imagination and inventing characters would utterly daunt me . Well, Ms McCulloch shows no trace of being daunted. Already known for her factual historical explorations, her mastery of the frictional form is delightfully manifest. The last page of this narrative leaves us with a gaping hole of expectation waiting to be filled. Roll on Volume Three I say! Julian Glover; In February 2018, Rawlings underwent surgery on the leg damaged in Afghanistan. His PTSD is still disturbing his sleep. Felix, his grandson for whom he is guardian, is in Australia and Rawlings is worried about him. He can't quite put his finger on it, but Felix has changed from a happy chatty boy into a monosyllabic serious boy. Rawlings is desperately worried that his compliance with the decision to send him to Australia to live with his aunt and her family was the right thing to do. Rawlings has also bought a flat. It's the downstairs part of a house that his friend Max owns. Max's sister, Bel is managing the alterations of the flat. However, her interests may be more ambivalent Jolyon, Rawlings literary agent insists that Rawlings' next book must be of his experiences in the siege of Sarajevo. It was here that he met his soulmate, Mia, a freelance photographer. He knows that writing this book is going to bring back all the memories of the traumatic time they spent in Sarajevo and of course, his memories of Mia, killed by the bomb that almost cost him his leg. Thank God for Isobel! She is still the sane, calm, and beautiful friend who Rawlings can always rely on for good advice and he certainly needs it. I was so delighted to get this, the second book in the trilogy, because the first book, The Strange Year of E.G. Rawlings had only told us a small bit about Rawlings' life. In this second novel, we learn more about Rawlings, the journalist, in particular, his memories of the war in Sarajevo. Jane McCulloch, you make all your characters come to life. I feel as though I've been given this extraordinary chance to follow them, especially Rawlings as though I've turned into a little ghost sitting on his shoulder, travelling with him through each day and whatever disaster or drama it may bring. It's not often that an author can paint a picture as you can. It's an astonishing novel. I'm so pleased all the characters were back with lots of new faces also appearing to add to the continuity of Rawlings life. What's so strange is yet again, I had Deja Vu incidents of my life. But I think the drama of life might ring true for lots of people. The Sarajevo bit had me almost in tears. I realised that I know nothing about that abhorrent war. Thank you for also making sure that I got to laugh out loud as well. My biggest chuckle thanks to Max's dog, hating to go for walks. I thought we were the only people to own such a dog! I am so looking forward to the third and final book in the trilogy. Will Rawlings find love again? Will Felix settle? I'm going to have to be patient to discover the answers. Elite Reviewing Group - Five stars; Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.

Author Information

Since leaving Drama School, Jane has pursued two careers; one as a director of theatre and opera, the other as a writer. For her own company, the English Chamber Theatre (President, Dame Judi Dench) she wrote, and directed, over 30 productions. These productions, many of which were biographical, took her all over the world. She also worked as a freelance director and writer, and this involved her meeting and working with some fascinating people including - Margot Fonteyn, Robert Helpmann, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Anthony Quinn, Derek Jacobi, Jessye Norman, and many others. She spent time between 1995 and 2003, working in theatres in Bermuda and North Carolina. For 10 years she was the Artistic Director of Opera UK - and apart from directing operas and concerts - she wrote three English translations of librettos and an original oratorio, The People's Passion. This work was filmed for BBC 1 and is available on DVD. Jane also wrote an original children's opera, Hello Mr Darwin, a work for young children and professional singers. Jane produced two recordings on the Delos label, which were adaptations of Peter Pan and Lamb's Tales of Shakespeare, both starring Derek Jacobi. Her carol, This Christmastide, was first performed by Jessye Norman for a TV Special, filmed in Ely Cathedral and recorded on Philips DVD. The sheet music for the carol is available from Fred Bock Music Publisher and it has now become a standard Christmas favourite, especially in the USA. All her work is now under one umbrella, TJM Productions. Since 2013 Jane has concentrated on fiction. She is now in the process of writing The Rawlings Trilogy. The first book in the trilogy, The Strange Year of E G Rawlings, was published by JJMoffs in 2019 and received excellent 5* reviews, with the final book due in 2022. Jane wrote her Three Lives Trilogy in 2014. Parallel Lines was followed by Triangles in Squares and Full Circle. In 2016 her novel based on the 'Sacco and Vanzetti Case', The Brini Boy, was published. She has also published two slim anthologies of verse, Between Sanity and Madness and Saint or Monster. Her conversations with her grand-daughter, Do's it have a Hamster? was published in 2016. All her books are available from Amazon and all have received 5* reviews. Jane has four children, ten grandchildren and is now based in Putney, London.

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