On Chapel Sands: My mother and other missing persons

Dive into the mesmerizing depths of a sixty-year-old family secret in Laura Cummings profoundly moving and critically acclaimed memoir, *On Chapel Sands: My Mother and Other Missing Persons*. This extraordinary book transcends conventional genres, weaving together elements of a gripping true-crime investigation, a poignant family memoir, and a lyrical meditation on memory, identity, and the elusive nature of truth. At its heart lies a chilling mystery from 1929: the vanishing of a three-year-old girl named Elizabeth, snatched from a beach in Chapel St Leonards, Lincolnshire, only to reappear five days later with no explanation. For decades, Elizabeth Laura Cumming's own mother carried the burden of this unexplained event in silence. The official police report, dismissing the incident as a child's prank, stood unchallenged. But as Laura Cumming delves into her family's past, spurred by a haunting photograph of a child strikingly similar to her mother taken years after the supposed "resolution," she uncovers a disturbing narrative of silence, speculation, and suppressed trauma. As a renowned art critic for The Observer, Laura Cumming brings a unique, forensic eye to her personal detective work. She meticulously "reads" old photographs, faded documents, forgotten letters, and fragmented memories, piecing together a mosaic of facts, assumptions, and lingering questions. Her observational skills, honed by years of analyzing visual information, enable her to unearth hidden meanings and connect seemingly disparate clues, transforming a cold case into a vibrant, living investigation. The book becomes an exploration of how we construct our identities from the stories we are told and the truths that remain unspoken. *On Chapel Sands* is more than just a search for answers about a long-lost past; it is a sensitive portrait of a mother-daughter relationship, shaped by the unspoken history that permeated their lives. Cumming explores the profound impact of secrets on individuals and families, and the courageous quest to reclaim a lost history, even if it means confronting painful revelations. The desolate, windswept Lincolnshire coastline serves as a powerful backdrop, its shifting sands echoing the fragility of memory and the shifting nature of truth. Since its publication in 2019, *On Chapel Sands* has garnered immense critical acclaim, solidifying its place as a modern classic of literary non-fiction. It was the deserving **winner of the prestigious James Tait Black Prize for Biography** and the **South Bank Sky Arts Award for Literature**. It was also **shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction** and the **Wainwright Prize**, testament to its exceptional quality and broad appeal. Reviewers have lauded it as "mesmerizing," "utterly gripping," "a masterpiece of empathy and investigation," and "profoundly moving." Perfect for readers who appreciate deeply personal memoirs, intricate true-crime narratives, and evocative historical non-fiction, *On Chapel Sands* is an unforgettable journey into the heart of a family mystery. Laura Cummings elegant prose and meticulous research illuminate not only a specific cold case but also universal themes of belonging, the power of silence, and the enduring human need to understand where we come from. This hardcover edition offers a lasting tribute to a remarkable story and an exceptional author.