The Lie of the Land

The Lie of the Land follows Quentin and Lottie Bredin, a modern couple unable to afford a divorce. Having lost their jobs in the recession, they can no longer afford life in London and must downsize, moving with their three children to a remote house in Devon. Quentin, arrogant and adulterous, can't comprehend Lottie's anger. Meanwhile, Lottie feels devastated and deeply wounded.

Mud, mice, and quarrels are one thing, but why is their rent so low? What secrets does their unappealing new home hold? The landscape is beautiful yet conceals darker elements involving poverty, revenge, abuse, and violence, all of which threaten to surface and disrupt their lives.

Sally Verity, contentedly married but yearning for children, sees another side to country life through her dual role as a Health Visitor and a sheep farmer's wife. When Lottie's innocent teenage son, Xan, secures a zero-hours contract at a local pie factory, he gains yet another perspective. By the end of their year in the countryside, all their lives will be irrevocably changed.

This suspenseful black comedy is rich, compassionate, and enthralling in its depiction of the English countryside and the potentially lethal interplay between money and marriage.