Before Dorothy

The greatest journey is the one you least expect… 'Swept me off my feet! A jewel of a novel – it simply sparkles' Evie Woods ‘A treat of a book, utterly transporting' Eve Chase Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own unforgettable adventure much closer to home… When news reaches Kansas that her beloved sister has tragically died, Emily Gale must become a mother overnight. Her sister’s orphaned child, Dorothy, desperately needs a home. But Emily doubts her ability to fill her sister’s shoes; her life on the barren Kansas prairies is no place for a child. On the unforgiving plains, Emily's courage is endlessly tested. The prolonged drought and relentless dust storms threaten to destroy everything – including her home and her marriage. Can Emily overcome her grief and let Dorothy heal her heart? From the promise of Chicago in the 1920s to the harsh beauty of the Kansas prairie during the dust bowl of the 1930s, this is a story of family, duty and one woman’s journey of self-discovery. Readers LOVE Before Dorothy 'A story as glimmering as the Emerald City and as hopeful as Dorothy herself' Kristin Harmel '[An] enchanting and powerful tale of grief, love and self-discovery' Heat 'Captivating, luminous, spell-binding' Fiona Valpy 'Heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time, this is my favourite Hazel Gaynor novel to date, and I've read them all. Loved it!' Gill Paul 'An epic tale, a triumph of imagination and beautifully written' Amanda Geard

Hazel Gaynor is an award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, Irish Times and internationally bestselling author known for her historical novels which explore the defining events of the 20th century. A debut author recipient of the 2015 RNA Historical Novel of the Year award, her work has since been shortlisted for the 2019 HWA Gold Crown Award, the 2020 RNA Awards, and the Irish Book Awards in 2017, 2020 and 2023. THE BIRD IN THE BAMBOO CAGE was a bestseller in the USA and her most recent novel, THE LAST LIFEBOAT, was a Times of London historical novel of the month and a 2024 Audie winner for Best Fiction Narrator. Hazel's next novel, BEFORE DOROTHY, will be published in June 2025. Her co-written historical novels with Heather Webb have all been published to critical acclaim. Their latest collaboration, CHRISTMAS WITH THE QUEEN, will be published in November 2024. Her work has been translated into 20 languages in 27 territories to date. She lives in Ireland with her family.