Deeply moving story of a girl breaking free from incest, by an award-winning author.
Magdalen has always lived in the shadow of her charming, wealthy father. Going to university, she thinks, will finally give her a life of her own.
Then she realizes that her father is determined to maintain a grip on her life, that he will never willingly let her go. Desperate to escape the terrible secret they share, she leaves home. With her goes Greg, whose gentle concern leaves Magdalen confused and irritated.
As they drive across the country, a friendship slowly unfolds. And as her trust in Greg grows, so, too does Magdalen's resolve to confront her father, and leave the past behind . . .
Oldham is a thrilling writer ... poised, precise and evocative. - TES
This is a powerfully told story of bravery and survival. - THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
. . . tackles incest with grace, honesty and skill . . . - THE OXFORD TIMES
An engrossing and deeply moving book which offers no easy answers. - BOOKS FOR KEEPS
June Oldham attended her mother's village school, a grammar school in Lincoln, then took an honours degree in English and a diploma in education. After some years' teaching, she had children and began to write. Although her award winning novel, Flames, was for adults, most of her books have been for children and adolescents. Many of them reflect her love of the Yorkshire Dales where she has lived for the last thirty years.
She has directed Ilkley Literature Festival, tutored for the Arvon Foundation, been a judge for the Constable Trophy (now defunct), encouraged imaginative writing in a gaol, held fellowships in creative writing. Occasionally she leads workshops, visits adult groups and schools.