The Girls of Summer: the compulsive and thought-provoking book club novel. Soon to be 2023's most talked-about debut

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The explosive and conversation-starting debut from a stunning new talent, exploring themes of consent and power, abuse and victimhood, memory and how victims can reclaim their voices. 'That place has been my whole life. Everything I thought I knew about myself was constructed in those few months I spent within touching distance of the sea. Everything I am is because Alistair loved me.' Rachel has been in love with Alistair since she was seventeen. Even though she hasn't seen him for sixteen years and she's now married to someone else. Even though she was a teenager when they met. Even though he is twenty years older than her. She's found it impossible to forget their summer together on a remote, sun-trapped Greek island. Until now. When Rachel unexpectedly reconnects with a girl that she knew back then, she is forced to re-examine her memories of that golden summer and confront the truth about her relationship with Alistair and about her time working for an enigmatic and wealthy man on the island. And when Alistair returns, the pull of the past could prove impossible to resist... The Girls of Summer is a compulsive and searching exploration of the complicated nature of memory and trauma, power and consent, victimhood and shame.

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 *
A mesmerising, unsettling and gripping debut * Catherine Ryan Howard, bestselling author of RUN TIME *
Lures you in then shakes you up. A very timely read about consent and control. LOVED IT * Nikki May, author of WAHALA *
Thought-provoking, timely and gripping, The Girls of Summer is the book of the summer * Sarah Turner, author of STEPPING UP *
THE GIRLS OF SUMMER is visceral, deeply sensory and urgent. An unsettling and vital book * Hazel Barkworth, author of SUNSTROKE *

Author Bio

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.