Same Old Girl

'Patterson is one of the great comic writers of the last quarter century' THE HERALD

'Unsparing but ultimately uplifting, every sentence cuts a caper' MOJO

'A thoroughly engaging, life-affirming book' MAIL ON SUNDAY


How does the big stuff in life truly change us?

In late 2019, Sylvia Patterson was a celebrated pop journalist, still merrily writing about the musical greats. But with the diagnosis of a life-threatening disease, a global pandemic and the collapse of her industry, life was about to take a drastic turn.

It was a misadventure that would teach her many things. The power of friendship, the shock of mortality and what happens when love is tested. How a walk in the park, a spontaneous dance and a TV hero can save your life. How your perspective can shift on everything, from work, family and music, to what truly makes you happy. And what really happens when your body, never mind your kitchen, falls apart.


The follow-up to the Costa-shortlisted I'm Not with the Band, this is Sylvia's unflinching, poignant and gallows-funny odyssey through the mid-life trials we all face, as she tries to answer the big question: would it all change her, or would she stay that same old girl?

'A relatable read by a phenomenal writer' THE FACE

'There's no mistaking the writing of Sylvia Patterson' SUNDAY TIMES