THE LAST WAVE

Gillian Best

When Martha fell from an English pier as a child, it prompted a lifetime love of the ocean, the only place she feels truly content. But after marrying John, Martha turns her focus towards raising children and keeping house until she can bear the drudgery no longer and returns to her beloved sea swims. By the end of her life, Martha has crossed the Channel 10 times, battling relentless exhaustion, dangerous currents and the disruption it brings to family life. On shore, she faces her daughter’s estrangement, John’s mind unravelling and an illness of her own. Spanning three generations and told from the viewpoints of different characters, this is an emotional and beautifully told family drama.

(Out now)