Bethany
Mason's first novel is set in the mid-1970s, and is narrated by Kay, the companion of Alex, who owns the house in Cornwall that gives the novel its title. Alex is a former jeweler who bought Bethany as part of her scheme to ‘drop out’ of mainstream life, but who is now heavily in debt. To Kay’s initial consternation, Alex invites a group of friends to join them at Bethany in an attempt at communal living: Simon, a charismatic and confident advocate of alternative lifestyles; his Thai partner Dao; Simon’s friend Peter and his American partner Coral; and several children. Gradually, Simon exerts his influence over the household, persuading Kay to adopt many of his ideas, but Simon and Alex enter a conflict that threatens to ruin the experiment.
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