I like to think I’m not superstitious, yet deep down I know I am, all the little rituals of my childhood — don’t open an umbrella indoors, don’t put shoes on the table, don’t walk under a ladder — are now habit. And if I notice these habits at all, I find them comforting, they remind me of my mum, my grandad, my great-aunt. Superstitions are stories; they tell us how we fit into the world, as well as ways to keep ourselves safe. There is power in them, too, because they deal with our greatest fears and our greatest desires, and they give the illusion, at least, of control. As I worked on the book, I began to wonder about just how powerful a hidden object such as my little shoe might become, if it was the focus of so much emotion and intent over such a long time. I began to wonder if people might begin to overlook its original purpose . . .

If you enjoyed The Hiding Place, then you might like my first novel, The Wayward Girls. It tells the story of two sisters in the 1970s who find themselves at the centre of an investigation into a poltergeist. The present-day section follows the younger sister, Lucy, when she returns to the family home with a new team of paranormal investigators to uncover exactly what did happen all those years ago. It’s a novel about sisters, loss and the strange melancholy of a long hot summer when there is nothing to do, where it seems you will never be allowed to grow up.

If you would like to hear more about my books, you can visit www.bit.ly/AmandaMason where you can become part of my Readers’ Club. It only takes a few moments to sign up, there are no catches or costs. Bonnier Books UK will keep your data private and confidential, and it will never be passed on to a third party. I won’t spam you with loads of emails, I’ll just get in touch now and again with news about my writing. And of course, you can unsubscribe whenever you want.

If you would like to get involved in a wider conversation about my books, please do review The Hiding Place on Amazon, on Goodreads, on any other e-store, on your own blog and social media accounts. I can be found on Twitter as @amandajanemason and on Instagram as @amandajmason. Comments and feedback from readers make such a difference to authors and for my books to be read and shared and discussed is just the most fantastic feeling, and it’s always great to hear from people.

Best wishes,

Amanda Mason

Reading Group Questions

Reading Group Questions

1. The Hiding Place begins when Nell brings her family to the seaside town where she grew up. How do you think the setting influences the story in this novel?

2. What did you think of Nell? Did your perception of her change?