Pears, Tim

(British, 1956– )

Pears’ first novel, In the Place of Fallen Leaves (1993), vividly and hypnotically captures the landscape of rural Devon, seen through the eyes of 13-year-old Alison during the long hot summer of 1984. Alison describes the hardships of life on a farm, the bitterness and rivalry between her two older brothers, her own first experience of death in the loss of her grandmother. There is also a strong sense of place in In a Land of Plenty (1997), set in a small industrial town in middle England. Following the Second World War, ambitious Charles Freeman successfully expands a small metal manufacturing company, marries young, artistic Mary, buys a grand house, and becomes the father of three sons and a daughter. The family encounter tragedy and conflict in their relationships as the children grow to adulthood, against the backdrop of a changing town. This novel has been adapted as a television drama series.

Jane Gardam, Sebastian Faulks, Thomas Hardy  DJ