This new novel takes place in a remote Swiss valley in the mid-19th century. It is based on a true story.

The Matchstick Boy: Jakob, a simple farmer, is determined to gain justice for his daughter, against the odds.

When his young brother, Josef, is killed by a rock avalanche, Jakob believes it is murder. He had seen someone on the mountain ridge, above the scree, before it began to roll. But who would want to kill a child, and why? Jakob suspects Ramun, the privileged son of the owner of a matchstick factory, but nobody takes him seriously and he is powerless to obtain justice.

Thirty years later, Jakob’s profoundly deaf daughter is abused by Ramun and becomes with child. Determined to gain justice for his daughter, Jakob unearths a myriad of well-kept secrets in the tight-lipped community, but is anyone willing to tell the truth?

Just as he thinks he has uncovered all the facts, he realises he has made a vital mistake all along. Nothing is really as it seems.

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Soon to be published in German as  “Der Zündhölzli Bub”

About Rowena

Rowena’s special area of interest is history. After researching her ancestry and finding family roots in Ireland with the Dalriada clan, she embarked on writing a series of novels set in early Ireland and Scotland.. Her debut novel titled “The Missionary” is a historical novel about the dramatic life of St. Patrick. It was published by Vanguard Press in 2021, and has been highly appraised by The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post and the Irish Times.

Her second novel “The Scots of Dalriada” centres around Fergus Mór, the founder father of Scotland and takes place in 5th century Ireland and Scotland.

Although brought up in Yorkshire, Rowena lives with her husband, Franz, in Bodman-Ludwigshafen, Lake Constance, Germany. Find Rowena on her website https://www.rowena-kinread.com/

Lead picture is of the real family featured in the book.