A sharp, empowering novel about a group of women who refuse to go quietly when society tells them they're no longer valuable beyond the age of 40, from the author of Ginger and Me.

'A rebellious and uplifting tale of punkish, middle-aged, feminist defiance' Lucy Ribchester

'A delicious tale of female rebellion and a glorious tribute to female friendship. Warm, funny, and uplifting' Caron McKinlay

Amy, Carole, Lenore and Susan have been best friends since school. Back then they couldn't wait for the future, for the amazing lives they'd have.

But things haven't worked out how they expected. Now in their forties, they're fed up with being taken for granted by their families, being passed over for promotions at work and being told that they're past their best. And they're not going to go quietly anymore.

Fuelled by female rage and their charismatic leader Amy, the four embark on a campaign of graffiti in their hometown of Hamilton, scrawling feminist slogans on the walls of local buildings.

But is Hamilton ready for the feminist revolution the Graffiti Girls have in store?

Praise for Graffiti Girls:

'Graffiti Girls is a sharply observed and thought-provoking cri de coeur about everyday sexism. It is the uplifting story of a group of women re-setting their lives and re-discovering their purpose during mid-life crises extraordinaire - a tale told with passion and verve' Catherine Simpson, author of One Body

'A fiery, funny and fierce feminist read that packs an emotional punch, Graffiti Girls explores big themes with empathy, insight and grace. I miss spending time with these characters' Emma Styles, author of No Country for Girls

'Stingingly observed, expertly executed, Graffiti Girls is a laugh-out-loud, relatably painful, feminist rage-induced tour de force' Claire Wilson, author of Five by Five

'Graffiti Girls drips with feminine rage, a story for any woman of a certain age who's ever felt invisible.' My Weekly, Books to Read in 2025

The captivating, powerful and unforgettable literary novel of feminist rage for 2025

About the Author

Elissa Soave won the inaugural Primadonna Prize in 2019. She was also a Bloody Scotland Pitch Perfect finalist 2019 and has had work published in various journals and anthologies, including New Writing Scotland, Gutter, and the Glasgow Review of Books. Her first novel, Ginger and Me, was published by HQ, HarperCollins in July 2022, and was shortlisted for the Saltire Society Scottish First Book Award 2023. Her second novel, Graffiti Girls, will be published by HQ in November 2024. Elissa was a judge on the Primadonna Prize 2022 and the Curae Prize 2023. She currently lives in South Lanarkshire.

Reviews

'A delicious tale of female rebellion and a glorious tribute to female friendship. Warm, funny, and uplifting with genuine insight into women's lives. I adored every page' Caron McKinlay, author of The Storytellers

'A rebellious and uplifting tale of punkish, middle-aged, feminist defiance, told with wit, warmth and energy. I was rooting for Soave's tenderly drawn characters on every page' Lucy Ribchester, author of Murder Ballad

'Graffiti Girls is a sharply observed and thought-provoking cri de coeur about everyday sexism. It is the uplifting story of a group of women re-setting their lives and re-discovering their purpose during mid-life crises extraordinaire - a tale told with passion and verve' Catherine Simpson, author of One Body

'A fiery, funny and fierce feminist read that packs an emotional punch, Graffiti Girls explores big themes with empathy, insight and grace. I miss spending time with these characters' Emma Styles, author of No Country for Girls

'Stingingly observed, expertly executed, Graffiti Girls is a laugh-out-loud, relatably painful, feminist rage-induced tour de force' Claire Wilson, author of Five by Five

'Graffiti Girls drips with feminine rage, a story for any woman of a certain age who's ever felt invisible.' My Weekly, Books to Read in 2025

'A gleeful tribute to female friendship' Platinum

'Elissa Soave first came to attention in 2022 with her stunning debut Ginger and Me...it seems Graffiti Girls could be set for similar acclaim' Courier

'Meet besties Amy, Carole, Lenore and Susan...fuelled with rage, they're on a mission to make their voices heard. We're all rooting for them' Press Journal

'An emotive, thought-provoking story - and a timely reminder that all is still not equal' Woman's Weekly

'Graffiti Girls doesn't always make for comfortable reading. And that is its strength. It's a book that evokes strong feelings. It's a book that forces the reader to reassess their own life' My Weekly

'Empowering' Sunday Mail

Book Information
ISBN 9780008673277
Author Elissa Soave
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint HQ
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 220g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 20mm