Vita and the Birds

A haunting mystery for fans of Eve Chase, Kate Morton and Kate Mosse. ‘A poignant page-turning story, beautifully written’ Leonora Nattrass, author of Blue Water ’Hugely evocative and beautifully written’ Anna Mazzola, author of The Clockwork Girl ‘A thoroughly compelling mystery meets a poignant love story, all wrapped up in beautifully lyrical writing’ Frances Quinn, author of The Smallest Man ‘A beguiling mystery from a gifted storyteller’ Louise Fein, author of People Like Us 1938: Lady Vita Goldsborough lives in the menacing shadow of her controlling older brother, Aubrey. But when she meets local artist Dodie Blakeney, the two women form a close bond, and Vita finally glimpses a chance to be free. 1997: Following the death of her mother, Eve Blakeney returns to the coast where she spent childhood summers with her beloved grandmother, Dodie. Eve hopes that the visit will help make sense of her grief. The last thing she expects to find is a bundle of letters that hint at the heart-breaking story of Dodie’s relationship with a woman named Vita, and a shattering secret that echoes through the decades. What she discovers will overturn everything she thought she knew about her family – and change her life forever. ‘Luminous and captivating … Polly Crosby’s shimmering writing veils a dark hint of the gothic’ Kate Griffin, author of Fyneshade What readers are saying about Vita and the Birds 'A beautiful and haunting tale of family, love, control and connections. This book and its characters will stay with me for a long time' Netgalley reviewer 'A lush and evocative novel of loss and forbidden love' Netgalley reviewer 'Beautifully written, a dark and moody yet intriguing story' Netgalley reviewer 'An extraordinary book that I read in a 4 hour straight session without stopping for food or drink . . . A spellbinding read' Netgalley reviewer

Praise for Polly Crosby ‘Polly Crosby whips up a lush, mythical world . . . realised beautifully in vivid writing. A book worm’s treat!’ Eve Chase, author of The Glass House ‘[A] gem of a read’ Good Housekeeping ‘Like a surreal cabinet of curiosities – haunting, eerie, evocative.’ Bridget Collins, author of The Binding ‘A captivating coming-of-age story with memorable characters beautifully brought to life in a setting dripping with atmosphere’ Daily Mail ‘A luminous and beautiful novel that gently lures the reader into a captivating story with a mystery at its heart.’ Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne ‘This moving tale is set in a mesmerising world. Like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, the story emerges slowly, allowing you to immerse yourself in its wonders.’ Heat ‘A beautifully written tale of butterflies, secrets and silk’ Sonia Velton, author of Blackberry and Wild Rose ‘Dreamy image after image . . . like a series of beautiful paintings’ Sara Sheridan, author of The Fair Botanists ‘A bewitching read' Woman & Home 'Evocative and enchanting – a future classic and a star in the making' Sunday Times bestselling author Veronica Henry ‘An extraordinary debut… beautiful, dark, haunting and unforgettable… I loved it’ Edward Carey, author of Little ‘A promising debut novel … full of atmospheric tension’ Mail on Sunday

Polly Crosby grew up on the Suffolk coast, and now lives with her husband and son in the heart of Norfolk.In 2018, Polly won Curtis Brown Creative’s Yesterday Scholarship, which enabled her to finish her debut novel, The Illustrated Child. Later the same year, it was awarded runner-up in the Bridport Prize’s Peggy Chapman Andrews Award for a First Novel. Polly received the Annabel Abbs Creative Writing Scholarship at the University of East Anglia. Her new novel, Vita and the Birds, is out in May 2023.