The Drowning People

At 21, James Farrell has the world at his feet. A gifted violinist, his successful career seems assured. Until a chance encounter with Ella changes everything.

Ella, bewitching, irresistible, haunted by the ghosts of her family's past - James cannot help falling in love with her and she with him.

But as the power and dangerous fragility of their relationship overwhelm them, James can only watch helplessly as the most beautiful thing in his life is strangled by deception, betrayal and ultimately murder...

“Redolent of early Evelyn Waugh. Mason already displays narrative drive, verbal skill and technical mastery”

Assured, well-paced and ambitious ... the writing is a delight. An exceptional achievement. * GUARDIAN (1999) *<br />Redolent of early Evelyn Waugh... Mason already displays narrative drive, verbal skill and technical mastery. DAILY EXPRESS (1999)
One of the most talked about first novels of 1999. If you want to be au courant with modern fiction, you will need to read it...' * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH (1999) *<br />A very impressive first novel ... the story immediately hooks you until the end' THE TIMES (1999)
An absolutely fantastic story: a cast of weird and wonderful characters, tangled love, secrets and deceits, deaths, and altogether a hugely inventive plot with a twist to beat all twists at the very 11th hour. OXFORD TIMES

Born in Johannesburg in 1978, Richard Mason was 10 years old when he moved to England with his parents. He was educated at Eton and New College, Oxford. His first novel, THE DROWNING PEOPLE, was published during his first year at Oxford and has since been translated into 22 languages. Mason set up the Kay Mason Foundation, in memory of his sister, who died when he was a child. The aim of the foundation is to make the best education available for young people in South Africa. The foundation has the patronage of Nobel Peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Mason lives in Glasgow, Scotland and Cape Town, South Africa.

At 21, James Farrell has the world at his feet. A gifted violinist, his successful career seems assured. Until a chance encounter with Ella changes everything.Ella, bewitching, irresistible, haunted by the ghosts of her family's past - James cannot help falling in love with her and she with him.But as the power and dangerous fragility of their relationship overwhelm them, James can only watch helplessly as the most beautiful thing in his life is strangled by deception, betrayal and ultimately murder...

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