‘Powerful ? A moving story of female desire, ambition and renewal’ Kit de Waal

*****

A powerful and moving debut novel about coming of age again post-marriage and post-menopause.

Claire’s life isn’t how she thought it would be when she moves into Hunter’s Moon. Her long marriage is over, her children have flown the nest, and her work as an illustrator no longer satisfies her. She isn’t sure who she is now or what she wants from her life.

It wasn’t always like this. Once, she had desires and ambitions.

When her octogenarian neighbour, Tansy, suffers a fall, Claire’s solitude is broken. Under the older woman’s guidance, she finds solace and a new sense of purpose in regenerating her wild garden. And as the plants grow, Claire retreads the bittersweet journey that brought her to the second half of her life.

This is a story of love. Of friendship and desire, of art and nature, of finding love for yourself and for life itself. It is a story of coming of age, once again, of giving up one’s safety net and embracing a new life beyond.

Five friends. One deadly secret.

Five old university friends gather on the eve of their flatmate’s memorial at a beautiful riverside house.

Host Caro is as perfect as always.

Shy, awkward Lily‘s now a bestselling author.

Sports hero George loves suburban fatherhood.

Bad-boy Travis only gets his highs from meditation.

And gatecrasher Elle is still a troublemaker.

Estranged for years, they’re finally ready to reminisce over dry martinis and delicious food. But there’s more than that on the menu?

Because each guest is hiding a dark secret about their time at Oxford.

They’re all guilty of something. Is one of them guilty of murder?

Praise for The Fifth Guest:

‘Will keep you turning the pages late into the night’ Lucy Clarke, author of One of the Girls

‘A highly entertaining tale of jealousy, betrayal, obsession and revenge – I thoroughly enjoyed it’ TM Logan, author of The Holiday

‘A deliciously dark story’ Woman’s Own

‘Fantastic! Absolutely gripping and very entertaining!’ Emma Curtis, author of The Babysitter

‘Power, glory, secrets, lies and sweet revenge? loved this!’ Anna Kent, author of The House of Whispers