The Woman Under the Ground

by Megan Taylor

Powerful and beautifully observed, 'The Woman Under the Ground' is novelist Megan Taylor's first collection of short stories. The writing is brooding and mysterious with finely drawn characters, so often the victims of absence and a child taken to a neglected museum by her forsaken father; a woman revisiting the scene of an ended affair; a couple taking a road trip to try to reconcile the death of their daughter... From dark adult secrets to night visitors to the dangerous passions of small girls, these stories explore fractured relationships and moments of self revelation with an uncanny honesty and insight.

170 pages, Paperback

First published October 20, 2014

About the author

I was born in Greenwich in South London in 1973. I have always loved to write.

My first novel, a dark coming of age story, ‘How We Were Lost’, was placed second in the 2006 Yeovil Prize (the Betty Bollingbroke-Kent award) and went on to be published by Flame Books (www.flamebooks.com) in June 2007.

I currently live in Nottingham with my young family, where I’m working towards a Creative Writing MA online with Manchester Metropolitan University, and completing my second novel ‘Before the Light’.

Set against a backdrop of wintry beauty ‘Before the Light’ is a literary thriller following a single family over a single life-changing night.

Although they're very different stories, both 'How We Were Lost' and ‘Before the Light’ reflect my continued fascination with the shadows and secrets of people’s inner worlds and the isolation that can exist even within the closest relationships.

Reviews

[Chris Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written but hard work. the subject matter was a bit much.
The stories with some supernatural elements were fine but a lot were just horrible things happening to women.