Greater Sins
Gabrielle Griffiths
£16.99
Mr B's review
In 1915 rural Scotland, charismatic Johnny spends his evenings singing songs in the local inn and entertaining the locals with his bawdy tales. He finds himself working as a farmhand, enjoying feeling a part of the community after a long while on the road. The rumours of war feel a long way away from this isolated place where everyone is most concerned with their land and neighbours. Meanwhile, Lizzie’s husband, rather to her relief, has enlisted, leaving behind only his prestigious reputation. Despite the judgemental eyes of her sister-in-law, she finds herself befriending the villagers with whom her wealthy husband would never have associated.
When one chill day Lizzie discovers a body, perfectly preserved under the peat, it is Johnny who helps to carry it down the hillside. Johnny and Lizzie’s curiosity turns into a mutual resolve to discover the woman’s mysterious story.
As the investigation drags on and strange happenings begin to be associated with this woman’s unnerving presence, the tension and suspicion of all the village gossip begins to build. Secrets and broken promises rise to the surface, inspiring fear and superstitious accusations. – Katrina
Description
‘A striking debut, filled with folkloric mystery and yearning. Read it, then read it again’ Amy Twigg, author of Spoilt Creatures
‘A muddy, pastoral fable written with an equal measure of beauty and morbidity. Completely enthralling.’ Lucy Rose, bestselling author of The Lamb
‘Beguiling and elegiac, Greater Sins unravels a tale of mystery and longing in captivating, unfurling prose that completely absorbs you. A book to sink into’ Lucy Steeds, author of The Artist
‘An extraordinary sense of place and time, written by an exciting new voice’ Radio Times (Best Books 2025)
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Who will cast the first stone?
1915, the Cabrach, Aberdeenshire. An isolated Scottish community is disturbed by a strange discovery: a body in a peat bog, perfectly preserved.
Two people haul the body from the ground: Lizzie, the wife of a wealthy local landowner, and Johnny, a nomadic singer and farm hand. At hearthside and inn, people whisper: what have we unearthed?
One unveiling brings others. For Lizzie, tenacious but trapped, the discovery reveals unanswered questions about her past while for Johnny, it threatens to uncover a history he’s trying to outrun.
As their stories entwine, a series of unsettling events befalls the isolated community. Against the echoes of distant war, and with the boundaries blurring between right and wrong, everyone is looking for someone to blame…
Praise for Greater Sins:
‘A striking and atmospheric debut’ THE TIMES
‘The unearthing of a woman’s body in a peat bog during the first world war is the catalyst for a gritty tale of secrets, guilt and desire’ OBSERVER
‘A haunting picture of a small, intense environment where isolation can breed solidarity and warmth as easily as superstition and exclusion’ FINANCIAL TIMES
‘Sets a beautifully atmospheric scene from its opening lines to its final moments . . . a compelling and powerful read.’ PA MEDIA
‘An atmospheric and assured debut’ DAILY MAIL
‘I absolutely raced through it! What a beautiful book. The prose is so lyrical and the structure so cleverly pulls the reader along – Hanna Thomas Uose, author of WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER
‘A haunting and extraordinary debut, which will stay with me for a long time. Set during World War One and told in tender, sinuous prose, this is a simmering tale of outcasts and buried secrets, love and redemption’ Danielle Giles, author of MERE
‘Dripping with atmosphere, GREATER SINS is a hauntingly beautiful story, set in an isolated community. The writing is stunning; every phrase, every sentence is like poetry. And the characters – they’re complex, fascinating, and oh so relatable. A truly unforgettable read’ Fiza Saeed McLynn, author of THE MIDNIGHT CAROUSEL
‘A darkly lyrical tale packed with secrets, intertwined relationships and a smattering of folklore. The characters are so richly woven, and the harsh rural world they inhabit so compelling, I could almost feel the chill, and taste the drams’ Emma Cowing, author of THE SHOW WOMAN
Publisher Review
A striking debut, filled with folkloric mystery and yearning. Griffiths’ prose is as elegant as it is perceptive. Read it, then read it again. * Amy Twigg, author of SPOILT CREATURES * Greater Sins is a glimmering debut. A muddy, pastoral fable written with an equal measure of beauty and morbidity. Completely enthralling. * Lucy Rose, author of THE LAMB * Greater Sins has an extraordinary sense of place and time, written by an exciting new voice from Scotland. * Radio Times (Best Books 2025) * I absolutely raced through it! What a beautiful book. The prose is so lyrical and the structure so cleverly pulls the reader along * Hanna Thomas Uose, author of WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER * GREATER SINS is a haunting and extraordinary debut, which will stay with me for a long time. Set during World War One and told in tender, sinuous prose, this is a simmering tale of outcasts and buried secrets, love and redemption. An incisive look at power and gender, Griffiths explores not just the darker impulses we share, but how we can find connection in unexpected places. This novel had me feeling silt between my toes and looking for ghosts in every shadow. * Danielle Giles, author of MERE * Dripping with atmosphere, GREATER SINS is a hauntingly beautiful story, set in an isolated community. The writing is stunning; every phrase, every sentence is like poetry. And the characters – they’re complex, fascinating, and oh so relatable. A truly unforgettable read. * Fiza Saeed McLynn, author of THE MIDNIGHT CAROUSEL * Beguiling and elegiac, Greater Sins unravels a tale of mystery and longing in captivating, unfurling prose that completely absorbs you. A book to sink into. * Lucy Steeds, author of THE ARTIST * This atmospheric novel set in the early 20th century in the Cabrach, an isolated community in the north east of Scotland, is beautifully written. As the mystery of a woman’s body found preserved in the peat bog unravels, we follow a darkly lyrical tale packed with secrets, intertwined relationships and a smattering of folklore. The characters are so richly woven, and the harsh rural world they inhabit so compelling, I could almost feel the chill, and taste the drams. * Emma Cowing, author of THE SHOW WOMAN *
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