An evocative and gritty Scottish family drama

Edinburgh is meant to be a new start for the Gillespie family. Rachel has enrolled as a mature student at the university, while Andrew is spending more time with the kids. But Rachel’s ‘new start’ morphs into ‘new affair’ with fellow student Ryan. Or is it Stevie?

Either way, her lover is not what he seems. When his past surfaces in the guise of a name on Rachel’s library ticket, the affair turns nasty. And then her teenage daughter unwittingly discovers the deceit and the family begins its spin into free fall.

About the author

Sam McColl was born into a family hushed by the threat of violence. Orphaned at 12, unable to grieve or understand her stolen childhood, she continued to recreate it – until she got help. Since then, she became part of the Anti-bullying Network, Scottish Schools Ethos Network and The Parent Teacher council as well as a Lay Inspector for Scottish schools. She has three grown children and lives with her husband in Edinburgh and Tarbert.

The book was partly funded by a New Writers’ Bursary from the Scottish Arts Council.