A Mile of River

A Mile of River by Judith Allnate.

The book is set in the countryside in England in 1976. There is a severe drought and the family farm is already under financial difficulties and the drought just makes the burden even more of a struggle. The father, Henry lives on the remote farm with daughter, Jess and son Tom. Their mother Sylvie walked out on the family years before and the family have heard nothing from her since.

Jess becomes a mother to her younger brother Tom and has a lot of added work given to her helping her father on the farm. Jess wants to do well at school and go to university to study medicine. Jess tries hard to free herself from the restrictive life she is forced to lead. Jess and her mother's life have some parallels, the longing for some independence.  Jess' father is a very controlling man I found him to be such a selfish jealous character and could not help but have sympathy for Jess.

The foreboding increases along with the drought and the reader discovers the mystery of Jess's mother's disappearance.

Easy read with good believable characterisation.