A family curse. A murder without justice. A man without answers.

Tom Cottrell grew up in suburban Johannesburg. In 2013, he found himself unwillingly drawn into the unsolved murder of his cousin. But the search for answers stirs something older, darker, an inheritance of guilt and shame stretching back to 1876, when his great-great-grandfather committed a single act that would haunt the Osborne-Cottrell family for generations.

From the Knysna gold rush to modern Johannesburg, Millwood weaves together mystery, memoir and magical realism in a sweeping tale of love, betrayal and the unquiet past. The hyena that stalks the family in dream and daylight is only the most visible sign that the curse is real. It will not rest until the truth is told. Some stories end with a death. This one begins there.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ­

Tom Cottrell is a South African author whose work explores endurance, meaning, and the turning points that reshape a life. His writing spans memoir, sporting history, and literary fiction, each book rooted in personal experience and a fascination with how ordinary people navigate extraordinary moments.

His debut, Five Hour Pilgrim, chronicles a year-long journey of reinvention as he ran a marathon on every continent at 50, raising funds for Hospice. He followed with Comrades Marathon – 101 Years of Highlights & Heroes, a tribute to South Africa’s most iconic race and its role in the country’s collective story. His latest work, Millwood, is a sweeping historical novel set across 140 years, blending family saga, mystery, myth, and the long shadow of addiction.

Beyond his books, Tom has collaborated with leading South African writers and spent more than three decades shaping the Runners’ Guide to Road Races, earning induction into the Runner’s World Hall of Fame.

A coach, motivator, and accomplished athlete, he has completed Comrades five times and run more than 100 marathons worldwide.

'Millwood' is published by TMC Publications