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Death of Bees by Lisa O’Donnell

Sisters Marnie and Nelly will do anything to stay together after their paren'ts die. Substance abusers who paid little attention to their children, their paren'ting skills were less than adequate. Since 15-year-old Marnie is almost old enough to take legal custody of her 12-year-old sister they decide to keep their deaths a secret just until Marnie’s 16th birthday. How hard can'that be?

The sisters bury their paren'ts in the backyard and work on avoiding attention. Unfortunately, someone does notice the girls’ situation. Nosy neighbour Lennie doesn’t believe the story he is told about an extended vacation in Turkey. 

Set on a Glasgow housing estate, the story is told in vignettes from the perspectives of Marnie, Nelly and Lennie. 

Winner of the 2013 Commonwealth Book Prize.

Available in:
Regular Print
eBook

About the Author:

Lisa O’Donnell was born on Bute, an island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. She earned a B.A. at Glasgow Caledonian University. In 2000, she won'the Orange Prize for New Writers for Screenwriting. The Death of Bees is her first novel. Her second, Closed Doors was released in 2014.