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Kate Rhodes | River of Souls
When I was growing up in London, my father used to take me on long Sunday
morning
walks beside the river Thames. Our journeys often began at Blackfriars
Bridge,
ambling east through Wapping, ending up at the Prospect of Whitby pub
for a
late lunch. My father explained that the buildingโs structure came from the
carcasses of ships, including its pewter-topped bar, masts and barrels
buried in
the walls. It was easy to imagine pirates and vagabonds drinking ale and
gambling
at the narrow tables, when it was still called The Devilโs Tavern,
back in
1520. I would stand on the small terrace, staring down at the wide sweep of
water,
and Execution Dock, with its yardarm still intact, imagining the
countless
victims who had died there for trivial crimes.
My obsession with the Thames continued as a teenager. Standing on its muddy
banks
gave me a sense of its power and history. Its smell lingered in my memory:
boat
diesel, effluent, and the sweetness of rotting fruit. My walks led me to
deserted
docks and piers, unused for decades. It struck me that these places could
serve a
macabre purpose: a killer could drown his victims there, without ever being
seen or
heard.
I was walking by the Thames again two years ago, when the idea for THE GIRL IN
THE
RIVER came to me. What if a modern day killer became so obsessed by the
riverโs
dark history, he started to hear its voice calling to him, begging for
souls? By
now I understood why the historian Peter Ackroyd had described the Thames as
the
river of the dead. The waterway has been an execution site for centuries,
killers
drowning victims there long before the days of Jack the Ripper.
The Museum of London turned out to be a fantastic resource, full of
objects
dredged from the river, including Bronze Age daggers, thousand year old
glassware,
and Roman jewellery. Although the river was a life source for early
Londoners, it
had also been a terrifying threat. Twice during the early days of settlement
it had
burst its banks, storm surges washing away the entire city. Hundreds of
skulls had
been dredged from the river at Vauxhall Cross, proving that Bronze Age
warriors had
cast their victims into the water there. The Romans too made sacrifices, to
honour
their dead: gold and silver jewellery, ancient coins and valuable weapons.
Since
the earliest days of settlement people had believed that the vengeful power
of the
Thames must be pacified. Like ancient Londoners I wanted the killer in my
book to
believe that his safety would only continue if he made human sacrifices to
the
cityโs vast waterway.
I discovered that the 213 mile long waterway remains a popular place for the
disposal of victims today. On average one body per week is found in the
river,
victims of violence or suicide. Vicious currents and freezing cold
temperatures
mean that anyone unlucky enough to fall in will only survive for two minutes
in
winter time. Countless victimsโ remains have been found in the Thames, from
the
Kray brothersโ gangland executions to the present day. I wanted my killer to
have
an ambivalent attitude towards his actions. Unlike many psychopathic
murderers, he
is riven with guilt, believing that the river is his master, too powerful
and
vengeful to be disobeyed.
My father would have been thrilled that the river he loved so much has wound
its
way through my book. But I realized that to write about it with conviction I
needed
to wade into the water myself. So on a chilly March day in 2013 I slipped
off my
boots, rolled up my jeans and stepped into the water at low tide, below
Blackfriarโs Bridge. The silt slipped under my feet, the water
breathtakingly cold.
Even at that depth the currents tugged at me, as if the river was longing to
claim
me for its own. Fascinated as I am by the riverโs complex history, Iโve
never been
happier to scramble back onto dry land.
GIVEAWAY
Have you had the chance to walk along the river Thames? What rivers do
you find
that haunt your memories? Leave a comment below and be entered for a chance
to win
a digital copy of THE GIRL IN THE RIVER.
Kate Rhodes was born in London. She completed a doctorate, then
taught
English at universities in Britain and the United States. She writes full-
time now,
and lives in Cambridge with her husband Dave Pescod, also a
writer.
Kate is
the author of two collections of poetry, Reversal and The Alice Trap. She
has been
awarded English Speaking Union and Hawthornden Fellowships for poetry, and
shortlisted for a number of other prestigious prizes, including the Bridport
and
Forward Prizes. Her poems have been anthologised and published in newspapers
including the Guardian and the Independent. CROSSBONES YARD is her first
novel and
the first in the Alice Quentin series.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog
Jude Shelley, daughter of a prominent cabinet minister, had her whole
life ahead
of her until she was attacked and left to drown in the Thames. Miraculously,
she
survived. A year later, her family is now asking psychologist Alice Quentin
to re-
examine the case.
But then a body is found: an elderly priest, attacked in Battersea, washed
up at
Westminster Pier. An ancient glass bead is tied to his wrist.
Alice is certain that Jude and her family are hiding something, but unless
she can
persuade them to share what they know, more victims will come.
Because the Thames has always been a site of sacrifice and death.
And Alice is about to learn that some people still believe in itโฆ
Comments
20 comments posted.
Re: Kate Rhodes | River of Souls
No never been to London
(Marissa Yip-Young 6:09am October 20, 2015)
I have walked along the Thames - oh-so-many years ago. I love walking along bodies of waters - no matter where I am. The book sounds great. Thanks for the chance to win.
(Nancy Reynolds 10:11am October 21, 2015)
I have never been to London, but I would love to go someday.
(Bonnie H 10:58am October 21, 2015)
I have never had the good fortune to see the River Thames in person - but I love seeing the Atlantic Ocean, the Delaware River and the Susquehanna here in Philadelphia, as well as The Three Rivers in Pittsburgh - I LOVE the water and have always been fascinated by it!
(Felicia Ciaudelli 2:21pm October 22, 2015)
Only when I'm listening to the Threepenny Opera ("And
MacHeath walks the embankment...")
(Richard Brandt 2:43pm October 22, 2015)
No I have never been there. I live by the Hudson River.
(Yaritza Santana 4:26pm October 22, 2015)
I love the River Thames, it has such a long history and anytime I visit London I like to cross one of it's many bridges (rather than using the underground).
(Lesley Walsh 5:42pm October 22, 2015)
I have never been nowhere but your book sounds so good i would love to read it.and i hope i can win it. thank you Emma Elliott
(Emma Elliott 6:54pm October 22, 2015)
I have never traveled outside of the U.S. yet. Although,
I would love to visit London, Paris, Ireland, Scotland,
Italy, Greece, and Australia! No rivers come to mind
right now, however, I do NOT like bridges, especially
COVERED bridges! I tense up, stare straight ahead, and if
I am driving, I have a death grip on the wheel!
(Terry Trahan 7:49pm October 22, 2015)
It has been so very long ago that I walked along the river Thames. My youngest son and I made a stop in London for a week just before Christmas.
(B Tritt 9:25pm October 22, 2015)
No , I have not been even close to the river Thames. I have not been out of the country and don't want to . When I was a child we had a small river to cross to get to town and it scared me to death to go across on this old wooden bridge . I was always afraid the bridge would fall in when we drove up on it , and the water was always so dark and scary . After I grew up I was still very afraid to go over the bridge , and finally they condemned the bridge .
(Joan Thrasher 9:34pm October 22, 2015)
I haven't seen the river Thames, though I hope to someday. I have seen the Mississippi River many, many times and it is dangerous, too (though maybe not as dangerous as the Thames). When it decides to overflow its banks, it floods homes, killing many and doing millions of dollars of damage. My father's home was on stilts and it still flooded more than once. People living in certain areas had to live in high preparedness during the late winter and spring months as flood season was brutal and often happened swiftly, with very little warning.
(Michelle Willms 11:12pm October 22, 2015)
Haven't seen the Thames, although I would LOVE to visit ENGLAND. This book sounds amazing and I really enjoyed reading your post -- the pub sounds so exciting -- can really imagine feeling all the history it encompasses.
(Linda Chesick 5:37am October 23, 2015)
I second everything my DIL, Linda wrote in her post. Love reading books that incorporate history into the story and suspense, mystery, murder -- basically read anything I can get my sticky little hands on.!!
(Ruth Chesick 6:05am October 23, 2015)
Sounds like an interesting story. Although I have never been
there, I do enjoy stories of London, especially those from the
times of the "ton"
(Barbara Semeraro 7:31am October 23, 2015)
A walk along the river Thames? How fascinating! I just wish I had the opportunity.
(Anna Speed 11:44am October 23, 2015)
I have never been to London but it is on my bucket list. I have
never been haunted by a river but I love to walk along the
local river in Spokane. It is beautiful!
(Denise Austin 1:06pm October 23, 2015)
I'd love to see London --- we have rivers near by that are
used for rafting, fishing, and fun. No haunting atmosphere.
(Suzie Johnson 8:48pm October 24, 2015)
no never been out of the country - we do live by the mississippi
river and would love to follow it down to other parts
(Vickie Dailey 11:40am October 25, 2015)
The Mississippi River. I have been to Paris, so the
river Seine comes a close second.
(Susan Scheelk 2:20pm October 25, 2015)
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