Julius and Jeanie are 51-year-old twins, both still living at home with their elderly mother, Dot, who suddenly passes away, leaving the twins not knowing what to do.

Julius and Jeanie are stuck. They both do odd-jobs for people living in their village and they sell the vegetables from their garden to the local deli, but they earn very little money. Jeanie was always told by her mother that she has a bad heart caused by rheumatic fever when she was little, so she has always had to be careful with the work she takes on. For Julius and Jeanie, their entire world is their home. They enjoy the simple life: playing their musical instruments together and tending to the garden. Julius perhaps has a more dynamic time, as he manages to go to the pub a few times a week to enjoy a drink with friends, while Jeanie stays at home.

So when their neighbour and landlord visits them to claim the money they owe him, they are both shocked. They always thought they were living in their (dilapidated) cottage for free. How can they possibly manage to pay for it now?

They gradually learn about the secrets their mother kept from them, while seeing more of the outside world. Word gets around about the twins’ vulnerability and they soon find themselves under violent attack.

It’s a very touching story, so moving and thought-provoking. It highlights the importance of kindness to others and how rare true love is in life.

Unsettled Ground was published by Fig Tree in March 2021.