Russell Celyn Jones: An Interference of Light

The latest addition to my website is Russell Celyn JonesAn Interference of Light. This novel tells two stories: one set in 1937-39 and one in 1959, both taking place in Sharon, a Welsh slate-quarrying community. It is narrated by Aaron Lewis, whose parents were from the Sharon area but who emigrated to the United States, where Aaron was born and bred. He works for the Pinkerton agency, spying on the quarrymen to see their secret technique for determining the best quality slate. When a strike break out, he continues to report to the owner, Lord Elusen, all the while lodging with a family of strikers and being somewhat sympathetic towards them, particularly Paul Gravano, one of the strike leaders, while betraying them. Concurrently, we follow the story twenty years later, when Aaron returns and finds the town desolate and Paul a widower. Aaron becomes close to Granmor, Paul’s only son but learns that the effects of the strike are still felt.

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