Suzanne Ruthven

The Water Boatman Suzanne Ruthven

Bran Mannion is the mysterious water-boatman of the canals and waterways whose appearances are as inexplicable as his knowledge of the human psyche. The Pedlar enters peoples' lives - acting as a catalyst - although there would be some little fact, some apparently irrelevant phrase, to point him out for what he is: a man with a knack of turning up mysteriously just when something is about to happen and saying just the right thing, or asking the right question that will inspire, or solve a mystery. It is frequently hinted that Bran Mannion may be more than human in some respects; his sudden appearances and disappearances, his exquisite timing, and the frequent impression that he knows more than he's letting on, or manages to suggest it without ever providing solid evidence.
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