The Shadow Year

'an engrossing and clever tale' - Anita Shreve, author of The Weight of Water

The stunning new novel from the author of the bestselling Secrets of the Tides. A captivating story of secrets, tragedy, lies and betrayal.

No one knew one lost year would cast such a long shadow...

On a sultry summer's day in 1980, five friends stumble upon an abandoned lakeside cottage hidden deep in the English countryside. For Kat and her friends, it offers an escape; a chance to drop out for a while, with lazy summer days by the lake and intimate winter evenings around the fire. But as the seasons change, tensions begin to rise and when an unexpected visitor appears at their door, nothing will be the same again ...

Three decades later, Lila arrives at the same remote cottage. With her marriage in crisis, she finds solace in renovating the tumbledown house. Little by little she wonders about the previous inhabitants. How did they manage in such isolation? Why did they leave in such a hurry, with their belongings still strewn about? Most disturbing of all, why can't she shake the feeling that someone might be watching her?

Hannah Richell's Secrets of the Tides was one of the most widely praised fiction debuts of 2012. Her new novel is an equally captivating story of secrets, tragedy, lies and betrayal told with the same sure touch and ability to capture the light and dark of relationships.

'The Shadow Year is a richly rewarding read that fulfils the promise of hours of pleasurable escape.' - The Hoopla

'A captivating story… Richell's elegant page-turner will have you hooked' - Culture Street

'The Shadow Year will draw you in, and hold onto you until it's done.' - Mamamia

'The Shadow Year shows [Richell] developing the storytelling skills that made her first book stand out from the crowd' - Sydney Morning Herald

'Utterly Captivating ****' - Who Magazine