It is May 1977, a quiet house in the English Cotswolds. Emily,an emotionally fragile,gentle, nature-loving girl, is approaching her eighteenth birthday. Her father, Martin, has become worried about her since the death of her mother, as she has begun to walk in her sleep and says she sees her mother’s ghost. When Martin gets the chance to join his friend Barnaby on an archaeological dig on Crete, he welcomes Emily’s suggestion that she and her older brother David join him out there. Staying with their father’s Greek friends, Emily and David are introduced to the thoughtful young son of the family, Petros, who is prepared to go along with David’s constant quest for fun and girls but who falls in love with the shy, distant Emily. When the siblings notice a mysterious island in the bay, now deserted and a source of superstitious fear among the local villagers, David is eager to explore it, despite Petros’ warnings, but Emily feels afraid and troubled. Eventually the island draws them in, and soon Manolis, a local fisherman who is obsessed with the island for his own reasons, leads them all into a terrifying adventure. The story winds its way through Cretan labyrinths to a strange and surprising conclusion. 
Suitable for age 16+ Some mild sexual scenes and one violent scene

The Glass Madonna is created by Loretta Proctor, an eGlobal Creative Publishing Signed Author



The Glass Madonna

Savvas promised to take them round the bay in his motorboat, the Asterios, and they reminded him almost as soon as he had arrived. Much to Petros's relief and David's sorrow, Brigit and Kristin couldn't join them today as the girls had pre-paid for a trip to Rethimnon and had left early that day on the coach. The three of them set off with Savvas and took a picnic. 


The Asterios was a smart little two-berth, two-engined boat that ran on diesel. Savvas explained that it wasn't new or very up to date.


'I'm not such an enthusiast as some of my friends. It belonged to my brother Giorgo. He's the keen one. He treated himself to a long, smart boat, almost new. He likes to go cruising the islands with his friends, you see. He's a good sailor. This one is fine for a little fishing, a day out on the sea. You like boats, David?'


Chapter 18: A trip on the Asterios