Suppose as a teenager you found out the details of a family tragedy and you felt compelled to find out the details, what would you do?
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Alex Haley, the author of Roots may have had a much better circumstance than Beverley East, author of , Reaper of Souls, the historical novel that tells the compelling story of the Kendal train tragedy of 1957.
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Beverley East, Author
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Her family had migrated to England, and her dad had silently borne the pain of losing 14 members from his young children, but now the puss was out of the bag. What would this curious daughter do? Well, with a resolute determination, Beverley sets out to find all she could about this tragedy.
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On vacations back to Jamaica, while others walked the white sandy beaches, Beverley could be found toiling away in libraries gathering every fact, every lead that would give her a full appreciation of the events and impact of this tragedy.
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The results is a historical novel that tells the story of the Scotts who leave three of their children at home before boarding an ill-fated excursion train. Using the backdrop of real events from the 1957 Kendal Crash, the story follows Eve, Austin and Esther as they struggle to find purpose and joy after suffering the depths of despair.
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This is no somber, dark tale, but a  thriller extraordinaire, filled with conspiracy, child ghosts and a pile of dead bodies.
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This is the way author Colin Channer characterized this fine work as follows. ” Beverley East has put her heart and soul into this gripping family saga that shuttles between the past and present with the locomotive power of a speeding train. With terminal points in England and Jamaica, Reaper of Souls is a tumultuous journey teeming with characters who will live with you in memory for a very long time.”
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I had the distinct privilege to listen to Beverley read from her brilliant work, bringing alive the many characters to animate this compelling story.
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After listening to her colorful presentation, I just knew I had to get a fuller telling of her story. This led to the following interview.
Click to hear Beverley East tell us how the Novel was developed.
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