The Sulking House

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Betrayal, adultery, arrogance, rape and seduction rip apart lives of contentment and fulfilment in a quiet corner of Middle England.

When businessman Hugh Steadman rekindles an adulterous relationship, he sets in train a series of events which will not only threaten his marriage but will also lead the way to his eventual downfall and destruction. Florence, Hugh’s intellectual wife, is immersed in writing about the C18 world of consuls and courtiers. Alexander, his social-worker son, is despairing of his gay partner, Gary, caught up in a life of crime. For the Steadmans, Hugh’s actions become an unstoppable force for change.

Against a backdrop of a house in the country, a garden open to the public, and a Midsummer Madness party, The Sulking House develops the themes of temptation, human frailty and failure. It also points the way towards resilience, resolve and the nature of forgiveness.

Lance Hattatt made his career in teaching English during which time he co-authored a series of textbooks for use in the classroom. A change of direction led him to establish a garden design business and to write a number of highly successful garden books as well as accepting commissions for articles for leading garden magazines and periodicals. He lives with his wife, Jane, and cat, Harriet, and divides his time between an apartment in Devon and a second home in Budapest. Dark Runs the River is his debut novel.