To hold on to the people she loves, she must make sure they never find out what she did . . . “An edge-of-the-seat read.” —Tessa Harris, author of The Anatomist’s Apprentice
Rather than accompanying her father and stepmother on their honeymoon, troubled teenager Abby agrees to spend the summer with relatives in their Tuscan villa. Shy, awkward, and grieving for her mother, she discovers everyone in this dysfunctional family has something to hide and is repelled by their secrets and lies.
Gradually, though, she finds herself falling under the spell of her fearless cousin, Philippa. Together they’ll conquer the world. But the summer ends in tragedy—and only Abby knows the truth about what happened.
Twenty-five years later, Abby has created the perfect life. She’s happily married, with a lovely family and a successful career. But when news breaks of human remains discovered at an idyllic Tuscan holiday home, there’s something horribly familiar about the country house. And someone’s threatening to blow her secret wide open . . .
“A gripping tale of secrets and lies remembered long after the last page.” —Amanda James, author of Behind the Lie
“A tender and gripping coming of age mystery.” —Sarah Jasmon, author of The Summer of Secrets
Katharine Johnson is the author of four page-turning psychological suspense novels, and a history book. She was born in Bristol and studied History at Cambridge before becoming a journalist and editor, writing mostly for property and lifestyle magazines. She’s also been a guide in a stately home and a Christmas elf. A voracious consumer of crime fiction, Katharine is drawn to stories featuring marginalised characters and is always intrigued by the why rather than the whodunnit. In her own writing she likes to drop ordinary people into extraordinary situations. When not writing or reading, she can often be found exploring cities, patching up a house in Italy or walking with her dog while plotting her next scene.