Fire Rush

Jacqueline Crooks

Jonathan Cape is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com.

Copyright © Jacqueline Crooks 2023

Jacqueline Crooks has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this Work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

First published by Jonathan Cape in 2023 penguin.co.uk/vintage

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

HB ISBN 9781787333635

TPB ISBN 9781787333642

Typeset in 12/16pt Fournier MT Std by Jouve (UK), Milton Keynes. Printed and bound in Great Britain by Clays Ltd, Elcograf S.p.A.

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I had thought of walking far from the terrible Knowledge Of flames. Spathodea. From ghost-ridden Trumpet Tree. From personal Disaster. God’s binding judgement. Drunken mystery

And wisps of smoke from cockpits crying lonely Lonely

But walking in the woods alternating dark with Sunshine

I knew Nothing then of cities or the killing of children In their dancing time.

Olive Senior, ‘Cockpit County Dreams’ in Talking of Trees