Cassandra Parkin

In contemporary America, an un-named college student sets out on an obsessive journey of discovery to collect and record the life-stories of total strangers. The interviews that follow have echoes of another, far more famous literary journey, undertaken long ago and in another world. Drawing on the original, unexpurgated tales collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, six of their most famous works are re-imagined in the rich and endlessly varied landscapes of contemporary America. From the glass towers of Manhattan to the remoteness of the Blue Ridge mountains; from the swamps of Louisiana to the jaded glamour of Hollywood, New World Fairy Tales reclaims the fairy tale for the modern adult audience. A haunting blend of romance and realism, these stripped-back narratives of human experience are the perfect read for anyone who has read their child a bedtime fairy story, and wondered who ever said these were stories meant for children.

New World Fairy Tales

'The story is fresh and original, written vividly and with flair. I was completely engrossed!' --Katherine Webb, international best-selling author 'Beautiful... A fascinating tale of the meeting of lost souls. Of danger, and trust and self-worth. Read it.' --Jen Campbell, author of Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops 'A stunning debut... The storyline is original, the characters are fascinating, and over all this is simply a great read.' --The Bookbag 'The characters grabbed my heart, the story pulled me in and I sailed through the pages... Put Cassandra Parkin's debut novel on your To-Read list.' --Women's World When nineteen-year-old Davey finds himself drunk, beaten and alone, he is rescued by the oddly assorted inhabitants of an abandoned and beautiful house in the West Country. Their only condition for letting him join them is that he asks them no questions. More than thirty years ago in that same house, burned-out rock star Jack Laker writes a ground-breaking comeback album, and abandons the girl who saved his life to embark on a doomed and passionate romance with a young actress. His attempt to escape his destructive lifestyle leads to deceit, debauchery and even murder. As Davey and his fellow housemate Priss try to uncover the secrets of the house's inhabitants, both past and present, it becomes clear that the five strangers have all been drawn there by the events and the music of that long-ago summer.

The Summer We All Ran Away

A ghostly winter read with a modern gothic flavour. A tale of twisted love, family secrets and hauntings.

The Winter's Child

When her identical twin Laurel dies, 17-year-old Willow's life falls apart. With her parents' marriage faltering, she finds escape at her uncle Joe's cottage. But even as they begin to know each other, Willow is plagued with memories of her sister. Then, Lucas arrives in her life--troubled, angry, and with a dangerous past. Joe's cottage is idyllic, but the forest is filled with secrets. What is Joe hiding from her? What events have brought Lucas to her door? And who is the Slaughter Man who steals through Willow's sleep? As the lines between dreams and reality become blurred, Willow's torment deepens. It seems as if her only escape lies with the Slaughter Man.

The Slaughter Man

A novel about love, loss, memory, and family relationships It is autumn time and on a peaceful Cornish beach, Finn and his sister Ava defy planning regulations and achieve a childhood dream when they build themselves an illegal beach hut. This tiny haven will be their home until Ava departs at midwinter for a round-the-world adventure. In the town, local publican Donald is determined to get rid of them. Still mourning the death of his wife, all he wants is a quiet place where he can forget the past and raise his daughter Alicia in safety. But Alicia is wrestling with demons of her own. As the sunshine fades and winter approaches, the beach hut stirs old memories for everyone. Their lives become entwined in surprising ways and the secrets of past and present are finally exposed.

The Beach Hut

‘The writing is glorious, beautiful... the handling of the subject matter is so tender, so sensitive, so utterly well done. This book is just what the world needs right now. No one could read it and not learn something, not let their mind and heart open up just a little bit more. I adored it.’Louise Beech‘Uniquely structured, Cassandra Parkin's Soldier Boy is a masterclass in interior storytelling that keeps you glued to the page.’Ana Johns, Internationally Bestselling author of The Woman in the White KimonoUnder the shadow of trauma, Liam has been discharged from the army. As night terrors torment him and he struggles to keep his anger intact, he finds himself in his car, his daughter Alannah asleep in the back, while his wife Emma has gone AWOL. With no idea where to go for shelter, his only goal is to hold onto his daughter at all costs. But Alannah is on a journey of her own.As the consequences of Alannah’s choices unfold, nothing will ever be the same again.Soldier Boy is gripping story about secrets, fear, longing, lies and the power of being true to yourself, even when the price is higher than you could have imagined.

‘This book is just what the world needs right now’ Louise Beech

Soldier Boy

On Yorkshire's gradually-crumbling mud cliffs sits an Edwardian seaside house. In the bathroom, Jacob and Ella hide from their parents' passionate arguments by playing the "Underwater Breathing" game--until the day Jacob wakes to find his mother and sister gone. Years later, the sea's creeping closer, his father is losing touch with reality and Jacob is trapped in his past. Then, Ella's sudden reappearance forces him to confront his fractured childhood. As the truth about their parents emerges, it's clear that Jacob's time hiding beneath the water is coming to an end.

Underwater Breathing

'It was dark and sad and powerful and poetic. Just addictive, and bloody marvellous' Louise Beech The Leftovers is a story about sexual power and consent, the myth of the perfect victim, and a dark exploration of the things we do for – and to – the ones we love. Callie’s life is spent caring for others – for Frey, her client, and for Noah, her brother. When a tragic car accident shatters her family, she’s left alone with her mother Vanessa. Vanessa's favourite child was Noah; Callie's favourite parent was her dad. Now they're stuck with each other - the leftovers of their family - and they'll have to confront the ways they've been hurt, and the ways they've passed that hurt on to others. Praise for Cassandra: 'A thoughtful novel. Parkin creates authentic, interesting characters' Carys Bray 'Fresh and original, written vividly and with lair. I was completely engrossed!' Katherine Webb 'A dark, eloquently creepy tale. Parkin's prose quivers with visceral terror' Carol Lovekin

A saga about power, consent, and the myth of the perfect victim

The Leftovers

The Leftovers is a story about sexual power and consent, the myth of the perfect victim, and a dark exploration of the things we do for - and to - the ones we love. Callie's life is spent caring for others - for Frey, her client, and for Noah, her brother. When a tragic car accident shatters her family, she's left alone with her mother Vanessa. Vanessa's favourite child was Noah; Callie's favourite parent was her dad. Now they're stuck with each other - the leftovers of their family - and they'll have to confront the ways they've been hurt, and the ways they've passed that hurt on to others.

A novel of psychological suspense and “a beautiful story that carefully unravels the depth of love and lies in a family.”—Heidi Perks, author of Her One Mistake When Jen goes to her grandmother’s house for the last time, she's determined not to dwell on the past. As a child, Jen adored Lily. She suspected she might be a witch—but the spell was broken long ago, and now her death means there won't be any reconciliation. Lily’s gone, but the enchantments she wove and the secrets she kept still remain. In Lily’s house, Jen and her daughter reluctantly confront the secrets of the past and present—and discover how dangerous we become when we're trying to protect the ones we love.

Lily's House

A woman’s desperation over her long-missing son leads her into dark places: “A stunning, beautifully disturbing mystery.”—Foreword Reviews Five years ago, Susannah Harper’s teenage son Joel went missing without a trace. Bereft of her son, and then abandoned by her husband, Susannah tries to accept that she may never know for certain what has happened to her lost loved ones. But then, on the last night of Hull Fair, a Roma fortune-teller makes an eerie prediction—on Christmas Eve, Joel will finally come back to her. Soon, Susannah is drawn into a world of psychics and charlatans, half-truths and hauntings, friendships and betrayals—forcing her to confront the buried truths of her family’s past… “Parkin is best at dramatizing the tension between the rational and irrational sides of her heroine’s mind.”—Publishers Weekly “Utterly addictive.”—Louise Beech, award-winning author of I Am Dust

Cassandra Parkin

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