A tale of both broad global events and intimate lives, this dazzling debut spans 60 years from British Hong Kong to Paris, England, and postcolonial Hong Kong Alice Safford is a lost soul. Raised in Hong Kong by a monstrous mother and high-ranking father, she is neglected by her parents and indifferent siblings. Twenty-five years later during the Japanese occupation, Lin Shui, a young Chinese girl, was raped and murdered. Now, as a "Hungry Ghost," she finds the perfect host from whom to feed, returning with Alice to her home on the Peak. Together, entanged in the Saffords' web of dark secrets and desperate lies, they unleash chaos. Against a background of political unrest and familial breakdown, Alice's ghostly entourage swells alarmingly. Craving peace, she flees to England, then France, only to find her mischievous "Hungry Ghosts" have accompanied her. With its dazzling array of characters and numerous twists and turns in fortune, this remarkable tour de force of the imagination is full of instantly memorable characters whose lives intermesh and boil over in a cauldron of domestic mayhem, unleashing unworldly spirits into the troubled air.

The Hungry Ghosts

Literature & Fiction

Berry, Anne

Literary

Borough Press

Raped then murdered in Japanese occupied Hong Kong, 1942, Lin Shui's 'Hungry Ghost' clings tenaciously to life. Holing up in a hospital morgue, destined to become a school, just in time she finds a host off whom to feed. It is 12-year-old Alice Safford, the deeply-troubled daughter of a leading figure in government. The parasitic ghost follows her to her home on the Peak. There, the lethal mix of the two, embroiled in the family's web of dark secrets and desperate lies, unleashes chaos. All this unfolds against a background of colonial unrest, riots, extremes of weather and the countdown to the return of the colony to China. As successive tragedies engulf Alice, her ghostly entourage swells alarmingly. She flees to England, then France, in a bid to escape the past, only to find her portable 'Hungry Ghosts' have accompanied her. It seems the peace she longs for is to prove far more elusive that she could ever have imagined. THE HUNGRY GHOSTSa remarkable tour-de-force of the imagination, full of instantly memorable characters whose lives intermesh and boil over in a cauldron of domestic mayhem, unleashing unworldly spirits into the troubled air.

Blue Door

A novel for those who loved Behind the Scenes at the Museum, The Poisonwood Bible and The Lovely Bones. Raped then murdered in Japanese occupied Hong Kong, 1942, Lin Shui's 'Hungry Ghost' clings tenaciously to life. Holing up in a hospital morgue, destined to become a school, just in time she finds a host off whom to feed. It is 12-year-old Alice Safford, the deeply-troubled daughter of a leading figure in government. The parasitic ghost follows her to her home on the Peak. There, the lethal mix of the two, embroiled in the family's web of dark secrets and desperate lies, unleashes chaos. All this unfolds against a background of colonial unrest, riots, extremes of weather and the countdown to the return of the colony to China. As successive tragedies engulf Alice, her ghostly entourage swells alarmingly. She flees to England, then France, in a bid to escape the past, only to find her portable 'Hungry Ghosts' have accompanied her. It seems the peace she longs for is to prove far more el

Hungry Ghosts

Four lives. Four defining moments which will bring them together. Owen Abingdon is haunted by nightmares of the Merfolk. He believes they have stolen his little sister who vanished while he was meant to be minding her on the beach, but he was only a child himself. Is it fair for his mother to blame him? Catherine Hoyle's perfect Christmas with her cousin from America was blighted when they went skating on thin ice and Rosalyn nearly died. Somehow, instead of being praised for raising the alarm, Catherine gets blamed. Sean Madigan grew up on a farm in Ireland. Learning to swim in the Shannon was his way of escaping the bitter poverty of his childhood, but it also incurred his father's wrath. He flees to England, but his heart belongs to the Shannon and her pulling power is ever near! Unlike the other three, Naomi Seddon didn't fear the sea. She'd been orphaned and placed in a children's home in Sheffield and cruelly abused. The sea offered her a way out and she revelled in its cruel power. The "water children" meet in London in the searing hot summer of 1976 and Naomi uses her siren's charm to lure Owen, Catherine and Sean into her tangled web of sexual charm and dangerous passion. A holiday in the Tuscan mountains with a flooded reservoir and its legend of the beautiful Teodora who drowned there brings this emotional drama to a powerful climax. Will the power of family, love and redemption finally help the water children conquer their fears and triumph over their childhood traumas?

Water Children

A tale of both broad global events and intimate lives, this dazzling debut spans 60 years from British Hong Kong to Paris, England, and postcolonial Hong Kong Alice Safford is a lost soul. Raised in Hong Kong by a monstrous mother and high-ranking father, she is neglected by her parents and indifferent siblings. Twenty-five years later during the Japanese occupation, Lin Shui, a young Chinese girl, was raped and murdered. Now, as a "Hungry Ghost," she finds the perfect host from whom to feed, returning with Alice to her home on the Peak. Together, entanged in the Saffords' web of dark secrets and desperate lies, they unleash chaos. Against a background of political unrest and familial breakdown, Alice's ghostly entourage swells alarmingly. Craving peace, she flees to England, then France, only to find her mischievous "Hungry Ghosts" have accompanied her. With its dazzling array of characters and numerous twists and turns in fortune, this remarkable tour de force of the imagination is full of instantly memorable characters whose lives intermesh and boil over in a cauldron of domestic mayhem, unleashing unworldly spirits into the troubled air.

Harpercollins Pub, Ltd.

For fans of Audrey Niffenegger and Maggie O'Farrell, The Water Children is a sensual, richly atmospheric drama of passion, betrayal, revenge, and redemption. WHAT WILL DESTROY ONE CHILD WILL BE THE MAKING OF ANOTHER. From the icy banks of a secluded country pond to the fevered core of a historic London heat wave and immersion in an abandoned underwater village in the Tuscan mountains, four young people—each of whose lives has been irrevocably altered by water— converge in this brilliantly plotted drama of passion, betrayal, revenge, and redemption. Owen is haunted by nightmares of the Merfolk. He believes they have stolen his little sister, who vanished while he was meant to be watching her on the beach. But he was only a child himself. Is it fair for his mother to have blamed him all these years? Catherine’s perfect Christmas was ruined when she went skating on a frozen pond with her cousin and the other girl nearly died. Yet it is Catherine who feels, as she says, “permanently trapped under the ice.” Sean grew up on a farm in Ireland. Learning to swim in the River Shannon was his way of escaping the bitter poverty of his childhood, but communing with the river spirits incurred his superstitious father’s wrath. Naomi never feared the water. She was orphaned, cruelly abused, and the sea offered a cleansing balm; she reveled in the ocean’s power. But Naomi has another secret buried deep within her, and during one searing hot summer she will be the catalyst for the coming together—and tearing apart—of the water children.

The Water Children: A Novel

Simon&Schuster

For fans of Audrey Niffenegger and Maggie O'Farrell, The Water Children is a sensual, richly atmospheric drama of passion, betrayal, revenge, and redemption. Owen is haunted by nightmares of the Merfolk. He believes they have stolen his little sister who vanished while he was meant to be watching her on the beach, but he was only a child himself. Is it fair for his mother to have blamed him all these years? Catherine's perfect Christmas was ruined when she went skating on a frozen pond with her cousin and the other girl nearly died. Yet it is Catherine who, for the rest of her life, feels trapped under the ice. Sean grew up on a farm in Ireland, the son of religious and superstitious people. Learning to swim in the River Shannon was his way of escaping the bitter poverty of his childhood, but communing with the river's "spirits" incurred his father's wrath. He flees to England to start a new life, but the Shannon's pull is difficult to escape. Naomi was orphaned and placed in a children's home and cruelly abused. Swimming offered her an opportunity to cleanse, to escape, and she reveled in the ocean's power. But Naomi has another secret, buried deep within her, and during one searing hot summer she will be the catalyst for the coming together--and tearing apart--of the water children.

Contemporary

Raped and then murdered in Japanese-occupied Hong Kong in 1942, Lin Shui -- now a 'hungry ghost' -- clings tenaciously to life. Holding up in a hospital morgue that is destined to become a school, she finds a host off whom to feed. It is twelve-year-old Alice Safford, the deeply troubled daughter of a leading figure in government. The parasitic ghost follows Alice to her home on the Peak. There, the lethal mix of the two, embroiled in the family's web of dark secrets and desperate lies, unleashes chaos. All this unfolds against a background of political unrest, riots, extremes of weather and the countdown to the colony's return to China. As successive tragedies engulf Alice, her ghostly entourage swells. She flees to England, then to France, in a bid to escape the past, only to find that her unwanted 'hungry ghosts' have accompanied her. It seems the peace she longs for is to prove far more elusive than she could have even imagined.

Harper-perennial

In the 1980's Leith was an area of great social deprivation characterised by poverty with widespread social problems. It was out of compassion for the needs that prompted one man twenty-five years ago to start a mission that would touch the hearts and lives of many. There  was a real need to show unconditional love to those in need regardless of background, race, gender or standing. This tells the story of Bethany Christian Trust which was founded 25 years ago to meet the needs of people in various situations for accommodation in Edinburgh. The Trust has gone on to meet peoples' wider needs with their Seven Levels of Care which have led to a broad and diverse ministry in and around the city of Edinburgh including Street Work, Emergency Accommodation, Specialist Units, Supported Housing, a Toastie Club, Football Club, Charity Shops, a Care Van, Church Hall shelter over the Christmas period, Furniture Recycling, Community Education and Community Integration.  Over the years many people have been involved with the Trust whether as users, volunteers or staff. This book is a tribute to them and an interesting history of a very successful ministry.  Bethany Christian Trust has put their Christian faith into action and has had a transforming impact in the lives of vulnerable people and their communities. You may well think that you are just one man or one woman but this story will inspire you to reflect and realise how you can make a difference."principally, this is the story of what can happen when an extraordinary God shares an idea with ordinary people who decide to act upon it.  In a different context therefore IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU", Anne Berry, Author

Giving Hope And a Future: Bethany Christian Trust, the first 25 years (Biography)

Biographies & Memoirs

Leaders & Notable People

Christian Focus

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Berry, Anne. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Berry, Anne

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Berry, Anne. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Hungry Ghosts

The Hungry Ghosts

Hungry Ghosts

Water Children

The Hungry Ghosts

The Water Children: A Novel

The Water Children: A Novel

Hungry Ghosts

Giving Hope And a Future: Bethany Christian Trust, the first 25 years (Biography)