THE BLACK THREAD is the dramatic story of a young woman's desperate attempt to escape the clutches of her cruel father. Set, in 1895, against the dark backdrop of the Leeds/Liverpool Canal, intrigue and emotion combine in this unforgettable historical novel. Amy Dodd has never met her father but longs for the day he will return home. But when that day finally arrives, her nightmares begin. After the death of her mother, she alone suffers her father's abuse. She knows that if she is to survive she must get as far away as possible from the man she fears. To escape, she takes the canal's towing path in the hope he will not follow her. After being taken aboard a passing barge, Amy finds safety for a while, but after a chance encounter with a stranger, she is confronted with some shocking facts about her father. Compelled to learn more, she returns along the tow path to Leeds but in doing so steps back into the lion's den. With the help of a young engineer from the local mill, she seeks to uncover the distasteful truth that is hidden in her past. But there is no limit to Amos Dodd's evil as he relentlessly pursues his daughter. "A well written story with mysterious twists and shocking turns that gives a feeling of factuality rather than fiction." Jean Beven, CANAL CUTTINGS.