The Turnpike House

"The Turnpike House" by Fergus Hume is a gripping novel that plunges into a dark world of family secrets and desperate survival. Set against a bleak backdrop, the story centers around a mother and her son, Gilbert, who live under the shadow of the boy's father, an ex-convict. Fear and anxiety permeate their lives, especially when the possibility of the father's return looms large, threatening to shatter their fragile existence. Themes of poverty, family conflict, and moral ambiguity are woven throughout the narrative, creating a tense atmosphere filled with emotional and psychological complexity, as the mother tries to protect her son from the abusive man that she once married. As long-buried secrets start to surface the characters struggle with their loyalty in their turbulent existence, setting the stage for an intense and devastating drama.