The Quivering Tree: An East Anglian Childhood - Hardcover

"One of the purest lyric voices in the mystery field" New York Times Book Review

Sylvia Theresa Haymon was born in Norwich, and is best known for her eight crime fiction novels featuring the character Inspector Ben Jurnet. Haymon also wrote two non-fiction books for children, as well as two memoirs of her childhood in East Anglia.

The Ben Jurnet series enjoyed success in both the UK and the US during Haymon's lifetime: Ritual Murder (1982) won the prestigious CWA Silver Dagger Award from the Crime Writers' Association. Stately Homicide (1984), a skilful variation on the country house mystery, was praised by the New York Times as a 'brilliantly crafted novel of detection...stylish serious fiction', and favourably compared to the work of Dorothy L. Sayers.

The British author here picks up where her funny, affecting Opposite the Cross Keys ended, in linked memoirs no less spellbinding than her novels ( Death of a God ). At age 12 Haymon was allowed to stay and finish school in the hometown dear to her heart when her widowed mother moved to London. The student's bright expectations dimmed, however, as she obeyed the diktat of the draconian headmistress to board with two female teachers, Locke and Gosse. Naive, the girl was puzzled when Locke made advances to her and drove Gosse to tears. But Haymon was even more disturbed by the gin-soaked housekeeper Binyon, who alternately starved the young boarder and served her feasts. As further problems arose, Haymon endured, helped by new friends--such as loyal, raffish Mr. Betts--and learned long-lasting lessons. Betts, Binyon, the lesbian teachers and other people from Haymon's past live on in this remarkable book.
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