Description
Book SynopsisWhat happens when adults are as lost as the children they're supposed to be protecting? From the author of the Richard and Judy Book Club Pick No and Me ‘Packs a hefty emotional punch. It reminded me of Leila Slimani’s terrific Lullaby’ Bookseller ‘Narrated with punch and pace. You’re kept reading helplessly to the desperate cliffhanger finish’ Daily Mail Thirteen-year-old Théo and his friend Mathis have a secret. Their teacher, Hélène, suspects something is not right with Théo and becomes obsessed with rescuing him, casting aside her professionalism to the point of no return. Cécile, mother of Mathis, discovers something horrifying on her husband’s computer that makes her question whether she has ever truly known him. Respectable facades are peeled away as the four stories wind tighter and tighter together, pulling into a lean and darkly gripping novel of loneliness, lies and loyalties.
Trade ReviewThe latest literary sensation * Daily Telegraph *
Delphine de Vigan coils these stories together in a taut, intense novel of secrets, lies and the unknowable depths of others * Tatler *
Delphine de Vigan’s dark family thrillers are a cult sensation * i Weekend *
One of the finest writers of psychological fiction in France today * France Magazine *
Short and achingly affecting * Saga Magazine *
De Vigan’s sure grasp of the trauma that comes with abuse and the horrible dilemmas that build up around seeking help make this noteworthy fiction * i *
It’s a deceptively simple novel, an impression enhanced by the unfussy prose, shorn of literary flourish or artifice, but a powerful, thought-provoking one * Country & Town House *
Frighteningly honest, precise and thrilling -- Praise for 'Based on a True Story', Julie Myerson * Observer *
The novel casts a spell of enchantment ... Utterly brilliant -- Praise for 'Based on a True Story' * Spectator *
