THE BORROWED HILLS

David Crellin narrates this gloomy novel set in 2001 in Northern England, featuring sheep farmers Steve Elliman and William Herne. Their flocks are suffering from deadly foot-and-mouth disease and must be euthanized, a calamity that is destroying other generations-old family farms, as well. In the aftermath, the dour men rustle healthy flocks in an attempt to survive. With the addition of Elliman's affair with Herne's wife, the novel can be compared to a contemporary Western with questionable heroes. Crellin's thick accent adds local ambiance but challenges listeners' comprehension, as does the local terminology laced throughout the story. Crellin authentically depicts painful decisions, gut-wrenching descriptions of killing sheep and burning carcasses, and other aspects of the struggle to survive against all odds in the Cumbrian fells. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2024]