The second novel from highly acclaimed young writer Susan Fletcher, author of the award-winning 'Eve Green'

Amy lies in a coma. Her older sister, Moira, comes to her in the evenings, sits beside her in a green-walled hospital room. Here, Moira confesses. She admits to her childhood selfishness which deeply hurt her family and to the self-imposed exile from the dramatic Welsh coast that had dominated and captivated her childhood; to her savagery at boarding school; to the wild, bitter and destructive heart that she carried into her adult life. Moira knows this: that she's been a poor daughter, and a deceptive wife. But it is as Amy lies half-dying that she sees the real truth: she's been a cruel sister, and it is this cruelty that has led them both here, to this hospital bed.

A novel about trust, loss and loneliness, 'Oystercatchers' is a love story with a profound darkness at its core.

About the Author

Susan Fletcher was born in 1979 in Birmingham. She graduated from the UEA Creative Writing Course and now lives in the West Midlands. This is her second novel.

Reviews

'[Susan Fletcher] writes with sensitivity and a delicate observation of details.' Daily Telegraph

'Fletcher writes very well indeed on place. Motifs, real and dream-like, of the sea suffuse the book.' Carol Ann Duffy, Sunday Telegraph

'Richly lyrical prose.' The Times

'"Oystercatchers" is a stunning novel...both emotionally discomfiting and romantic; at times puzzling, it is profound, beautiful and redemptive. "Oystercatchers" is the work of a seriously talented young author in possession of one of the most poetic and original voices working now. If she can write at this level in her 20s, her potential is breathtaking.' Joanna Briscoe, Guardian

'Her prose is extraordinarily lyrical: haunted, dreamlike and precise, reminiscent at times of Sylvia Plath...Fletcher's words are undeniably beautiful and her themes are profound...a haunting novel.' Sunday Times

'We love "Oystercatchers"...A dazzling novel of love, loss and trust that has a powerful grip.' Woman & Home

'"Oystercatchers" is a Glamour must-read...Fletcher is a natural story teller whose well-spun stories draw you in from the first page...compelling reading.' Glamour

Book Information
ISBN 9780007190263
Author Susan Fletcher
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint HarperPerennial
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 280g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 25mm