When Uma discovers her husband’s infidelity just hours before his untimely death, the carefully woven threads of her life begin to unravel…
Struggling to manage the grief of those around her, she escapes to a remote cottage by the coast where she swims in the winter sea, cooks the forgotten Keralan dishes of her childhood and begins the search for her husband’s lover.
It isn’t long before Uma realises what she must do to pick up the tattered threads of her life. But will her choices jeopardise the only family she has left?
"Petals and Stones traces the devastating impact of the discovery of infidelity immediately before a partner’s death, so that grief is contaminated by anger and betrayal. Joanne Burn’s writing explores with care and precision the nuances of love deferred for the best of intentions, the tides within family and friendship dynamics and the corrosive lies we tell ourselves. Beautiful and redemptive." Liz Flanagan
"The kind of book that makes you want to sneak away from real life so that you can return to its characters." Virginia Macgregor
"A beautifully written exploration of the dangers of settling for second best, lyrical, perceptive, and thought-provoking." Christine Poulson
"A meditative, carefully crafted debut... simple, meaningful prose that gripped and moved me from start to finish." J. M. Monaco
"What an engaging read this tale of grief, love, family and friendship. Petals and Stones explores the ties which bind us together and the choices we make that can tear us apart. Very atmospheric and beautifully written. Loved it from start to finish." June Taylor