The Stranger's Companion: The perfect escapist read for the summer

· Hachette UK
Ebook
352
Pages
Eligible
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About this ebook

'Inspired by real events, and making use of a variety of narrative techniques, The Stranger's Companion is a compelling and unusual novel' The Times, A Top 10 Historical Fiction Book of 2024

'A mesmerising historical mystery . . . based on a fascinating real case. Delectable' Anna Mazzola, author of The Book of Secrets

October 1933


With a population of five hundred souls, isolated Sark has a reputation for being 'the island where nothing ever happens'. Until, one day, the neatly folded clothes of an unknown man and woman are discovered abandoned at a coastal beauty spot. As the search for the missing couple widens, Sark finds itself front-page news.

When young islander Phyllis Carey returns to Sark from England she throws herself into solving the mystery. While Phyll digs through swirls of gossip and ghost stories in search of the truth, she crosses paths with Everard Hyde, a surprise visitor from her past. As press coverage builds to fever pitch, long-suppressed secrets from Phyll's and Everard's shared, shadowy history begin to surface.

The Stranger's Companion is a beguiling historical mystery inspired by a real-life crime, which remains unsolved to this day.

'A compelling mixture of mystery, community secrets revealed and ghosts from the past disturbing the present' Sunday Times

'A fascinating mystery [and] truly transporting read' Woman's Weekly

'Such a wonderful, distinctive cast of characters . . . I thoroughly enjoyed the wit and spark of the writing' Zoë Somerville, author of The Marsh House

About the author

Mary Horlock was born in Australia but brought up in Guernsey in the Channel Islands. She was previously a curator in contemporary art at Tate Liverpool and Tate Britain. Her first novel, The Book of Lies, was longlisted for the Guardian First Book Award and The Stranger's Companion was chosen as a Top 10 Historical Fiction Book of the Year by The Times. She lives with her family in London.

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