Belinda Conniss

The Empty Swing Belinda Conniss

1972 London England Elizabeth McDaid aged 18 was working for the Times newspaper. 1972 London, England, Elizabeth McDaid, aged 18, was working for the Times newspaper. Elizabeth came from humble beginnings, in Simi Valley, USA. Her father, a farmer's son, originally from Donegal, Ireland, and her mother a seamstress, left the US for London in 1964 when Elizabeth was just ten-years-old. Elizabeth was a quiet girl who felt that she didn't belong in London and, throughout her school years, she was rather reserved. Her mother and father were private people and very protective of her. Back in Simi, Elizabeth realised exactly why her parents hadn't wanted her to return and, God knows, they had tried hard to persuade her to decline the offer that her employers were so keen for her to accept. As Elizabeth began to unravel the truth about why they had left Simi, she had a lot of questions to ask her parents. What were the terrible circumstances that led to them leaving the valley? Who were Mr Quinn and Ms Cassy? And just who was sitting on the other swing in Elizabeth's recurring dream?