The Village Collection by Mark O’Hara

The Village Collection. If you believe that living in an English village was relaxed and peaceful, this book may change your mind. Using the small village of Redbourn as the setting, the author draws you into stories with a lopsided look at growing up, working class families and community spirit. From the simple first story of Jerimiah Flint, we dive headlong into the misadventures of pre-teen Marky O’Brien and his friends. The stories are simple but filled with recognisable incidents that shaped our young lives. Leaving childhood, we enter the world of adults and immediately immersed into compelling stories of 1970’s Christmases, housewife strikes, a missing cat, a dog with wanderlust and a few stories all tinged with love, laughter and sadness from which we can all relate. Finally, be spellbound by a collection of chilling horror stories as we enter Delmar Wood. Meet the psychotic Alice Clayton. Come upon a strange wish giving tooth and a real life story that will chill you to your bones. To end, we encounter the Redbourn Shadow, who lived underground for 27 years and nobody knew he was there.
Available on Amazon

“Bourne and bread. Redbourn life at its best”

Five Star Review on Amazon By Les

Brilliant book I couldn’t put it down. Anyone who grew up in Redbourn or any other village will love it. Although mostly based in the 1970s I could relate to all the things the characters get up from my own childhood in Redbourn in the 70’s and 80s . Mark has captured the village perfectly in his writing and throughout the book I was smiling and laughing and remembering. I have both of Marks books in paperback and on my kindle and can guarantee I will be reading them over and over while waiting for the next one. I no longer live in the village but I loved growing up in Redbourn and Marks books have brought my childhood back to me. You can take the boy out of the Bourn but you can’t take the Bourn out of the boy. Thank you Mark.