A Dangerous History by Glyn Morris

A Dangerous History

Glyn T Morris

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Cassie discovers the sinister remains of a house gutted by fire high up on the Bristol channel coastline, propelling her into a perilous journey.
Drawn by local Bristol landmarks and the lingering echoes of historical slave trade, Cassie forms an inexplicable bond with an apparition of a lost soul. The story sweeps to Jamaica and back to Bristol, where Cassie and her husband, Mark, must unravel the mystery shrouding the slave's malevolent twin and halt an imminent catastrophe before the dawning of the new millennium. Plunge into this supernatural story of suspense and intrigue.

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Will they shatter the chains of bygone eras and the promise of redemption?

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Synopsis

A Dangerous History

A work of fiction

FACT.

The Idea came to Glyn, coupled with a bracing walk along the North Somerset coastline; this steep section has wonderful views over the channel to Cardiff opposite. The split-level bungalows and Houses bathed in the sunshine stood majestically amongst the innumerable small roads that made up the cul-de-sacs leading to them. But the discovery of a derelict house gutted by fire up a single overgrown track completely threw Glyn and paired with signs in red paint (see photo's) got her thinking, and the usual what if, kicked in. 

FICTION.

The protagonist Cassie Campbell and her husband Mark are both in their mid-thirties. Cassie is a successful interior designer and Mark has a thriving architectural business that he runs with his friend and business partner Roger in Bristol After booking a well-earned holiday in Port Antonio Jamaica, Cassie catches sight of a plot of land for sale in an estate agents window. Desperate to start a family and move out of Bristol, she is given the auction particulars and heads for the coast south of Bristol. When she arrives she is disappointed to find the area mundane and amid older style bungalows. The entrance is up a narrow steep path. once at the top she is shocked to find a once split level house destroyed by fire, after a trip to the solicitor she arranged to meet Mark at the plot and although he liked the situation he is not as enthusiastic as Cassie. Feeling menaced, and after several macabre incidents they decided against buying it at auction. 
Sabrina is not only Cassie's best friend, they also grew up together and when Cassie was left an orphan Sabrina's parents adopted her. Sabrina is married to Roger; they met at Cassie's wedding to Mark. Sabrina also arranges an Intimate dinner party at their Clifton town house, where she introduces Don and Anne Berry, Sabrina and Rogers new neighbours who had moved in next door . She has also invited her friend Lorna and her latest date Felix. During the course of the evening, Felix relays the story of a ship that capsized in the channel with two slaves to be man servants on board. Felix can't remember the name of the ship. Cassie for no reason tells them it was the Silas Hunt, but she has no idea how she knows. 
After securing the plot by default. The action sweeps to Port Antonio and they become friends with Cudjoe a local scholar of the Coromantee tribe. They also meet up with four like-minded Americans on Navy Island. With events threatening Cassie and Mark in Jamaica and the horrific occurrences in Bristol that is linked to their friends attached to them. A DANGEROUS HISTORY makes for an atmospheric fierce and memorable climax. 

Where the past meet the present.

Characters

  • Cassie

    MID THIRTIES INTERIOR DESIGNER MARRIED TO MARK. THEY LIVE IN CENTRAL BRISTOL. SHE LOST HER PARENTS IN A CAR CRASH. HER FRIEND SABRINA AND HER PARENTS BROUGHT HER UP, AND SHE REGARDS THEM AS HER FAMILY.

  • Mark

    MARRIED TO CASSIE, LATE THIRTIES. HAS BUILT UP A SUCCESSFUL ARCHITECTURAL BUSINESS WITH THE HELP OF HIS FRIEND AND PARTNER ROGER.

  • Sabrina

    MID THIRTIES OF JAMAICAN/ ANGLO PARENTAGE. WORKS AS A SENIOR EXECUTIVE WITHIN THE SOCIAL SERVICES. GREW UP WITH CASSIE. Poised confident and sophisticated

  • Roger

    HEAD HUNTED BY MARK TO JOIN HIM AS A PARTNER IN BRISTOL AND INTRODUCED TO SABRINA BY CASSIE. THEY LATER MARRIED. Passive laidback loyal and honest, slightly boring

  • Don Berry

    WEALTHY BUILDER AND CONTRACTOR. MOVED TO BRISTOL FROM SOMERSET TO FORWARD HIS BUSINESS AND SOCIAL CONTACTS JUST HAPPENS TO LIVE NEXT DOOR TO ROGER AND SABRINA. Loud, brash, ambitious parochial and out of his depth

  • Anne Berry

    DON'S WIFE. ISOLATED BY THEIR MOVE TO BRISTOL FROM A SMALL VILLAGE WHERE SHE KNEW EVERYONE. Shy, not confident. downtrodden by her husband

  • Lorna

    GOOD FRIEND OF SABINA'S IS A P.A. TO A SENIOR LECTURER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL. Confident, stylish and self-obsessed

  • Felix

    LORNA'S DATE AT SABRINA'S DINNER PARTY, HE QUICKLY BECOMES GREAT FRIENDS WITH THE FOUR MAIN CHARACTERS. He is a lecturer at the University the transatlantic slave trade is one of his subjects

  • Cudjoe

    A JAMAICAN DESCENDED FROM THE MAROONS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ISLAND HE MEETS CASSIE AND MARK WHEN THEY GO TO JAMAICA ON HOLIDAY. AND LATER FOLLOWS THEM BRISTOL. Logical and articulate

About the author

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G T MORRIS

Glyn grew up in rural Somerset where her family had a business.
Always creative, and with a big imagination she began writing stories from an early age .
Glyn married in her twenties and had a Son and Daughter.
When her family became independent she decided to start up a fashion accessory business. The first on the Somerset coast and a second one in Weston -Super Mare. But destiny stepped in and when she was offered a unit in Bedminster Bristol it led her to meet and marry her beloved second husband in the creative city that was a perfect outlet to write her fiction.

Glyn Morris - Author

In conversation with Glyn Morris

Inspired by a walk past a derelict house. A modern tale that looks back on Bristol's slave trade.

The story follows Cassie and Mark, who buy the remains of a burnt-out house on the Bristol Channel coast. The land proves to have a mysterious and terrifying past, which sweeps the characters from Bristol to Jamaica.

Tell us a bit more about yourself before you decided to become a novelist... My background is sales and marketing and, before retiring, I had my own retail accessory business in Bristol. 
What gave you the idea for your first novel?I previously lived in Somerset and, although I have always been creative, it wasn't until I moved to Bristol, coupled with a walk along the North Somerset coast, that made me think I would like to write a work of fiction. The classic 'what if?' situation kicked in, and I began to wonder if I could combine a modern day story that somehow involved that side of Bristol's slave history. 
What made you decide to tackle the history of Bristol's slave trade? It tackled me. I took a coastal walk near Clevedon and came across a derelict house that had been damaged by fire. For some reason it seemed shocking as it was totally at odds with the well-kept pristine houses surrounding it. The views across the Channel were amazing and in my imagination I could see the ships sailing past towards the mouth of the Avon, which incidentally is very narrow, and I wanted to link the building with a story of that important period in Bristol's history. I really had no idea where it was going but it seemed to me there was plenty of documentation written on the subject of the slave trade, but very little fiction. In the end, my characters told me. 
What sort of research did you do for A DANGEROUS HISTORY? Did it discover anything unexpected? When I started the book in the mid-1990s I didn't have the Internet, so I did all my research at the central and reference library. It gave me a good insight, as I was able to handle the old ledgers and find interesting facts of the many ships at the time, as well as valuable research on the layout of Port Antonio when Cassie and Mark go to Jamaica.
Are you going to write a sequel to A DANGEROUS HISTORY? People ask me this question. To me the book is a complete stand-alone story. I was in a happy and settled place living in Cotham and very much aware of the creative vibe that surrounded central Bristol, and I knew I would not be able to recreate that time, neither would I want too, to me this is a Bristol book about Bristol for Bristol. 
Does that mean you will not be writing anymore adult fiction?No, in fact I am twenty thousand words into another story, but in a different genre. I like to write outside the box. It is definitely a work in progress. 

Reviews

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K.M.Collier

Thoroughly kept me hook. I have never read thrillers before, this was a first and I really enjoyed it. I would recommend to a friend.

Margaret

I liked the characters very much. It is easy to imagine the events as described. I couldn't put the story down until I got the end. I am looking forward to Glyn's next story.

Scott Ryall

Excellent read, the characters are so good. The story stayed with me a long time after reading. This would make a good TV drama!

Guy Bowden

Fantastic. An excellent read that had me totally absorbed from start to finish. The characters are believable, the storyline gripping and the scenes in a thrilling and atmospheric way. Highly recommend for a haunting read.

Ann Hughes

Well done to the author. So lovely to read about Bristol and such a great story.

Kay Marriott

I really enjoyed the book. An excellent read with some brilliant research involved. It would be a smashing idea to use a a TV adaption/screenplay

Buy the bookA Dangerous History

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Contact Glyn

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