'a highly original talent' - Beryl Bainbridge
The Way sisters, Anna, Charlie and Emz, were raised in two worlds. Their motherβs realm of reason, measurement and logic, and the world inhabited by their spectacularly unconventional grandmother, Hettie.
While their mother worked, the sisters ran wild at Hettieβs Cob Cottage, discovering forbidden Pike Lake, unknowable Havoc Wood, and what their grandmother referred to only as βThe Strengthsβ.
But time passed, the sisters grew up, work and relationships and their motherβs world won them over, and The Strengths lay forgottenβ¦
That is until Hettie passes away suddenly, leaving behind Cob Cottage and a whole lot of questions.
Anna is busy trying very hard not to cry as she caters yet another wedding, Charlie is spending more time at the job she loves than with the boyfriend sheβs not quite sure about and Emz is dreaming up new ways to avoid school and the drama that comes with it, but can they deal with strange guests, unexpected danger and some long-forgotten memories?
*'a born writer... the ultimate needle in a haystack' - Susan Hill, author of The Woman in Black *
*"The magical life the Way sisters lead is an interesting read." - Julie, NetGalley Reviewer *
*"When is the next one and I want to read it!" - Nigel, NetGalley Reviewer __ *
About the Author
Helen Slavin was born in Heywood in Lancashire in 1966. She was raised by eccentric parents on a diet of Laurel and Hardy, William Shakespeare and the Blackpool Illuminations. Educated at her local comp her favourite subjects at school were English and Going Home. After The University of Warwick she worked in many jobs including, plant and access hire, a local government Education department typing pool, and a vasectomy clinic. A job as a television scriptwriter gave her the opportunity to spend all day drinking tea, living in a made-up fantasy world and getting paid for it (sometimes). Helen has been a professional writer for fifteen years. Her first novel The Extra Large Medium was chosen as the winner in the Long Barn Books competition run by Susan Hill. A paragliding Welsh husband and two children distract her and give her ample opportunity to spend all day drinking tea, nagging about homework and washing pants for England. In the wee small hours she still keeps a bijou flat in that fantasy world of writing. When not working with animals and striving for world peace, Helen enjoys the music of Elbow and baking bread. Her favourite colour is purple and if she had to be stranded on a desert island with someone it would be Ray Mears (alright, George Clooney is very good looking but can he make fire with a stick? No. See?). She now lives, with her family, in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, where, when sheβs not writing, sheβs asleep. Or in Tescos.