GOLDEN STRAW THE Cookson, Catheri

A mysterious golden straw passes through generations of a Durham family, carrying with it a promise of prosperity — and a curse that won't let go. Catherine Cookson weaves together three interconnected stories spanning the Victorian era to the 1970s, following the straw as it moves from hand to hand, bringing fortune to some and ruin to others. At its heart: women navigating class divides, abusive marriages, and the tangled loyalties of family. Cookson's trademark blend of melodrama and social realism hits hard here — the stakes are domestic but never small, and the North East setting is rendered with the kind of detail that only comes from lived experience. This is soap opera in the best sense: emotionally direct, morally complex, and impossible to put down once the threads start pulling tight. Perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy or anyone who believes family sagas should have teeth.