The Loner by Josephine Cox

After a tragic accident resulting in the death of his mother, and the disappearance of his father, young Davie flees his hometown of Blackburn, unsure of what the future holds. Devastated, he must escape the vicious rumours about his mother as well as his memories of her. With nothing more than the shirt on his back, he sets off to find his father, a livelihood, and maybe a glimpse of happiness.

Meanwhile, back home, those Davie has left behind wait anxiously. There's Kathleen, his childhood friend who has held a secret close to her heart these past few years, and Joseph, his grandfather, whose guilt at the events that unfolded that dreadful night burns right to his soul. Will they ever see their beloved Davie again?

Eventually, after months of wandering, Davie finds somewhere he can call home. But tragedy stalks him once more, and it's not long before everything comes to a dreadful impasse. It's time for him to make a decision: to keep running or go back home and face the past once and for all.