~ Trade Paperback
Bellman & Black: A Ghost Story
Caught up in a moment of boyhood competition, William Bellman recklessly aims his slingshot at a rook resting on a branch, killing the bird instantly. It is a small but cruel act, and is soon forgotten. By the time he is grown, with a wife and children of his own, William seems to have put the whole incident behind him, as if he never killed the thing at all, but rooks don’t forget . . .
Offering the deliciously subtle story of one man's haunted life, Bellman & Black is a tale full of gothic atmosphere, gorgeous writing, and a macabre premise that unfolds as slowly as molasses.
“Bellman & Black is a beautifully constructed story of life and death. Setterfield's prose is elegant and subtle, her story-telling precise; she is a writer who knows when to hold back.” -- The New Zealand Herald