The Bellwether Revivals: A Novel
Benjamin Wood
Language: English
Pages: 432
ISBN: 0143123343
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
*Finalist for the Costa First Novel Award*
*Shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize*
From a rising literary star, a thrilling debut novel of psychological suspense set among the colleges of Cambridge
When bright and bookish Oscar Lowe follows the haunting sound of an organ into the chapel of Kings College, Cambridge, one day, his whole world changes. He meets a beautiful and seductive medical student, Iris Bellwether, and her charismatic and troubled brother Eden. Oscar is seduced by their life of scholarship and privilege, but when Eden convinces Iris and her close-knit group of friends to participate in a series of disturbing experiments, Oscar fears he has entered into something from which he cannot escape. Reminiscent of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, The Bellwether Revivals is a gripping exploration of the line between genius and madness that will hold readers spellbound until its breathtaking conclusion.
‘Somebody! Hurry!’ Marcus backed out of the organ house, heel after heel, so startled and frightened that he nearly tripped over himself. He rushed off to find the telephone. Oscar stared down at Iris. He felt for her pulse again, but there wasn’t even the weakest beat. Her skin was dry and cold. He listened for her exhalations. None came. Her lips were pinched and blue. He tried to resuscitate her, desperately pushing his mouth against hers, but she didn’t stir, she didn’t gasp, and there was
flailing arms getting slower, losing their energy. He was going to kill him. He was resigned to it. He understood now that he was capable of it, the way Eden was capable of it, the way his cousin Terry was capable of it, the way his father was probably capable of it, too. He remembered how his cousin would hold his head below the water when they were kids at the local pool—just like he was holding Eden’s head now—to train him to hold his breath, Terry would say, to teach him how to survive. He
she began clearing the mess, sweeping things into a cardboard box. ‘For God’s sake, Iggy, will you stop tidying up,’ Marcus said. ‘You’re making us all feel guilty. I’m getting itchy just watching you.’ ‘Leave it, sis,’ Eden agreed. ‘Petra will do it tomorrow.’ ‘Petra?’ Yin said. ‘Tell me that’s not your cleaner.’ Eden blushed, his cheeks turning as ruddy as the open fire. ‘She’s more than just a cleaner; she’s a bloody godsend.’ ‘When did you get her?’ ‘A few weeks ago. From one of those
that’s what he said. I should let it fall over me like the rain. And it did sort of feel like that. It put me to sleep.’ ‘Do you remember anything about the music?’ Crest asked. ‘If you mean, could I hum the tune for you now—no. If you mean, do I remember it being there, all around me, and what it felt like—yes, I do. It felt wonderful. Soothing. I really mean that.’ ‘I wasn’t questioning your honesty.’ ‘Well, good, because I don’t have any reason to lie.’ Crest rested his elbows on the
beaded with water. For a moment, she sat at her dresser, brushing her hair, and he watched her, trying to imagine her fifty years from now, wondering if he would still feel the same exhilaration at the sight of her. And he realised how easy it was to picture her that way, still tidying her hair with the same little gestures of her brush, half-naked in the shade of some future bedroom. ‘Will you play for me?’ he asked. She kept on brushing her hair. ‘Now? I’m not even dressed.’ ‘It doesn’t