A Solitary Girl — Charles Webb

'They speak to me, Vicks.' Celandine hugs Vicky in windswept Kensington Gore. 'They speak to me from heaven.' London 1921. 24-year-old Celandine Greenstreet wants to write symphonies, but she hides an astonishing secret. What is the dreadful rift that forms between her and Alex? Why is Celandine cast aside by Estreham Academy? Who comes back into her life after ten years separation? What is the shocking nature of the lies she is told by the only man she ever loved?These are just some of the burning questions that must be answered in this skilfull and carefully crafted, yet harrowing story of Celandine's life in the years following the Great War. A prodigiously talented musician, she faces a continual fight to prove her sanity, achieve her ambitions and demonstrate her innocence of the appalling crime she stands accused of.In 'A Solitary Girl' the narrative probes deeply into troubled minds, shows us the limits and dangers of early twentieth century psychiatry, weaves a complex web of grief, ambition, love and hate, leavened throughout with a dash of humour.