Rotherham ex-teacher’s new book on childhood innocence
Added: (Fri May 20 2022)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
Retired headteacher David Hudson hopes his debut novel will put a stop to the innocent tag associated with children.
The 71-year-old grandfather, from Rotherham, spent more than four decades in the classroom and head’s office – eventually being awarded an OBE for his services to education.
David’ stunning new book, Missing Joan, provides an insight into the troubles that teenagers can cause – particularly to their parents.
He explained: “I had the idea of the characters for the book and wanted to explore the concept of innocence and guilt as applied to children.
“Adults often describe children as ‘innocent,’ and superficial thinking might lead to these adults imagining children never doing anything particularly evil or bad.
“Indeed, we’re shocked when they do.
“The teenagers in Missing Joan are inexperienced and to that extent they are innocent and they behave, hopefully, as teenagers are expected to behave.
“But they are also manipulative, self-centred and self-serving, and guilty of causing untold heartache to the adults in their lives.
“I wanted to explore the need that adults have to protect and forgive children, no matter what.”
Missing Joan is a multi-layered thriller which follows the fortunes of single mum and Detective Chief Inspector Julie Marsden as she probes a kidnapping and murder.
Plagued by her parenting inadequacies, the 40-year-old becomes involved with a suspect.
And a web of intrigue is soon spun as friendships from the past as well as current are questioned and doubted.
Missing Joan is a brilliantly observed, character-led thriller where questions outnumber answers and readers are left guessing until the final few pages.
David added: “Chief Inspector Julie Marsden is pushing 40 and knows that she is overweight and short of allure - and she’s convinced that she’s the world’s worst mother.
“Her belligerent 16-year-old daughter and useless ex-husband Dennis seem to pose problems hourly, and her love life is non-existent.
“Her job is her go-to place and the kidnapping and murder on her patch have suddenly catapulted her into the big league of major crime.
“And just at this hectic and stressful time, she’s met a man that she knows she can love.
“Michael Lloyd has to be a suspect in this the biggest case of her career - and he’s her daughter’s head teacher.
“Julie shouldn’t get romantically involved - she shouldn’t, but she does.”
Although David enjoyed a hugely successful career as a chemistry teacher, headteacher and Academy Trust chief executive, he always harboured an ambition to write.
Now retired, the father-of-two is currently putting the final touches to a sequel of Missing Joan.
For more details, visit Amazon and search for David Hudson, where the paperback and Kindle formats of Missing Joan are both available.
Notes to the editor
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