Overview

A haunting, atmospheric literary debut, for fans of Elmet and Burial Rites. The preserved body of a woman is discovered in a bog near an isolated Scottish community - but is the body an omen of misfortune to come, or a story waiting to be told... 'Beguiling and elegiac' Lucy Steeds, author of The Artist 'A gritty tale of secrets, guilt and desire' Observer 'Completely enthralling' Lucy Rose, author of The Lamb 'An extraordinary sense of place and time, written by an exciting new voice' Radio Times (Best Books 2025) ____ 1915, the Cabrach. In the fierce, wild beauty of this remote corner of Scotland, an isolated community makes a discovery- an ancient 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. Soon afterwards, strange events begin to occur. At hearthside and inn, people whisper- what have we unearthed? As tensions run high and men leave for war, old fears and secrets emerge. But in a place where judgement is swift, who is truly without sin? 'A striking debut, filled with folkloric mystery and yearning' Amy Twigg, author of Spoilt Creatures 'Scapegoats, suspicion and secrets...a haunting picture of a small, intense environment where isolation can breed solidarity and warmth as easily as superstition and exclusion' Financial Times 'A simmering tale of outcasts and buried secrets, love and redemption' Danielle Giles, author of Mere 'A striking and atmospheric debut' The Times 'Sets a beautifully atmospheric scene from its opening lines to its final moments' PA MEDIA WHAT READERS ARE SAYING- 'An earthy, folkloric tale, where superstition is rife...a captivating read. Highly recommended' 'A gothic literary experience, rural and immersive, that thrums with tension, mystery and forbidden love' 'A deeply immersive reading experience, and one of the best elements of this book is how the atmosphere and environment of rural scotland, the small farms, the fields, the bog, the changing of seasons - nature itself becomes a character' 'Beautifully written, chilling and disturbing, the book is an engrossing read from start to finish' 'Sometimes you come across a book that is note perfect; very readable and entirely relatable but still beautifully, poetically written. This is such a complete novel, it is hard to believe it is the author's debut' 'This was a stunningly beautiful novel. Dark and creepy and wonderfully realised, and the character voices were next-level good'

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9781804994214

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Reviews

A striking and atmospheric debut * THE TIMES * With her subtle use of dialect and plain yet evocative prose, Griffiths builds a haunting picture of a small, intense environment where isolation can breed solidarity and warmth as easily as superstition and exclusion. * FINANCIAL 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…What begins as a rural mystery becomes, instead, an affecting love story….Griffiths’ use of the vernacular vividly conveys the period…She writes well about forbidden desire, guilt and shame. * Observer * Greater Sins sets a beautifully atmospheric scene from its opening lines to its final moments . . . a compelling and powerful read. * PA MEDIA * 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 * An atmospheric and assured debut * DAILY MAIL * 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 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 *

Author Information

Gabrielle Griffiths grew up in Aberdeenshire and now lives in Brighton. She was a Madeleine Milburn Agency mentee in 2021 and is a graduate of the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course. Her short fiction has been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize.

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