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The Girls of Summer

The Girls of Summer

Summary

Dark, timely and thought-provoking’ THE SUN

‘Set to be a big summer hit’ THE INDEPENDENT

‘A gripping read that is visceral and raw. Buy it’ GLAMOUR

The last time Rachel saw the girls, they were teenagers island-hopping in Greece: making friends, finding love. One golden summer.

Now in her thirties, she’s never been able to forget the man she fell in love with back then. Even though he is almost twenty years older than her. Even though she hasn’t seen him since and she’s now married to someone else.

And when she crosses paths with one of the girls, she’s confronted with a truth that’s much darker than she ever realized.

What really happened to them all that summer?

What if everything she remembers is a lie?

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For fans of GIRL A, MY DARK VANESSA and LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE, The Girls of Summer is a bold compulsive exploration of sex, power and consent, and what happens when we revisit the past with rose-tinted glasses.

'Reminiscent of HBO's hit The White Lotus... The obvious read-alike is My Dark Vanessa' BOOKLIST

'Packs an incredible punch' THE TIMES

'Beautifully written, transportive, and thought-provoking' LUCY CLARKE, author of THE CASTAWAYS

'A mesmerising, unsettling and gripping debut' CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD, author of RUN TIME

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Readers are talking about THE GIRLS OF SUMMER:

* 'A superb debut that will linger with you for a long time after you have finished it. A powerful and resonating read.' * * * * *

* 'Beautifully written with a tense, emotive plot' * * * * *

* 'An excellent debut. Raw, real, and gut-wrenchingly familiar' * * * * *

* 'Wow wow wow! It's one of those stories that stays with you' * * * * *

* 'The writing is buttery smooth and brilliant' * * * * *

* 'I couldn't put this book down, it should be added to everyone's reading list' * * * * *

* 'Shocking, familiar, emotional, and raw. Just phenomenal' * * * * *

Reviews

  • It's been a long time since I've read such a compelling debut. Beautifully written, transportive, and thought-provoking, THE GIRLS OF SUMMER sizzles with suspense. It's the book I'll be recommending that all my girlfriends pack for their holidays this summer
    Lucy Clarke, Sunday Times bestselling author of THE CASTAWAYS

About the author

Katie Bishop

Katie Bishop is a writer and journalist based in the UK. She grew up in the Midlands before moving to Oxford to work in publishing in her early twenties. Whilst working as an assistant editor she started writing articles in her spare time, going on to be published in the New York Times, Guardian, Independent and Vogue.

Katie started writing The Girls of Summer during the first UK COVID lockdown, after becoming increasingly interested in stories emerging from the #MeToo movement. The novel is inspired by her own experiences of backpacking, and by her interest in how our personal narratives can be reshaped and understood in light of cultural and social changes.

In 2020, Katie moved back to the Midlands, and now lives in Birmingham with her partner. She is a full-time writer.
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