Where Peacocks Scream is told by twelve-year-old Daniel Williams who lives in The Riverside, a pub by the river in Wolvercote, North Oxford. The pub's gardens include a bridge that leads to a wild patch called The Island, which Daniel considers to be his private territory and one of his passions. His others are for the peacocks that live in the grounds and his friend Josh, and Chloe, the Boatman's daughter. The story opens with the death of Cora, Daniel's special peahen, whom he buries secretly on The Island. That summer, while he is fishing, he notices that he is being watched and photographed by a man in a white cap. The man turns out to be Frank Jasper who arrives to stay at The Riverside and begins to make Daniel's life a misery. What is Frank Jasper plotting? Why did he bring those peacock feathers into the pub? Can Daniel save The Riverside from Frank Jasper's evil plans? Author Valerie Mendes started writing when she was six years old and continued to write poetry and stories at school and was awarded a State Scholarship in English and History. After studying for a degree in English and Philosophy at the University of Reading, Valerie started to work for the BBC in Manchester. Valerie's successful career spanned across journalism and publishing and after many years in publishing, Valerie started to write full time and has published two picture books; four teenage novels and two historical adult novels. Valerie now lives in Oxford and is working on her next adult novel.

 

This book was published 2017 by Book Guild Publishing Ltd .

Valerie Mendes was born in Buckinghamshire. After taking a double honours degree in English and Philosophy at Reading University, she moved to Oxford, where she still lives. She is, proudly, the mother of the theatre and film director, Sam Mendes CBE. Valerie started writing stories when she was six.