'A gorgeous epic . . . Wholly absorbing. I adored it' MARIAN KEYES 'This sweeping, absorbing story is a treat' ADELE PARKS 'A compelling story of female friendship, dark secrets and family bonds that pulls you in and won't let go' ROSANNA LEY 'If you love atmospheric stories about old houses, families and secrets, this is for you' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'A gorgeous story to get immersed in' Prima Two young girls. One hot, long, sultry summer. And a rambling old English manor house where nothing is as it seems . . . A successful London barrister, Catherine Christophe, goes missing the day before her wedding anniversary. The clue to her disappearance, it seems, lies buried thirty years in the past. Somerset, 1989. Janey Lestrange arrives to stay for the summer at the grand old house of the Hunter family. But something is wrong behind the beautiful fa ades of Vanes. Janey's childhood friend, Kitty Hunter, her brother and their eccentric parents - once so welcoming - do not seem to want her there. It is only as the night of an ancient and mysterious family ritual looms closer that Janey comes to realise they need her . . . Decades later, the tragic events of that unforgettable summer still cast the darkest shadow. Can the truth about what happened that night ever be brought into the light? 'Bewitching, beguiling and utterly beautiful, The Beloved Girls will pull you into their mysterious and enchanted world and never let you go. With a cast of compelling characters and a labyrinthine plot, it's a page-turner of the most luxurious kind - a real escape.' VERONICA HENRY Compelling, immersive and luxurious, THE BELOVED GIRLS is the outstanding new novel from the Sunday Times Top Ten bestselling author of The Garden of Lost and Found and The Wildflowers