Firstly, a big thank you to the fantastic team at Hot Key Books, especially Georgia Murray – I couldn’t have asked for a better editor. Thanks also to my agent, Amber Caraveo, for giving me feedback on my many story ideas and always pushing me to do better.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the many beta readers who read early versions of this book. There are too many to name here, but each one gave me incredibly helpful feedback that helped to shape the finished story. Thanks also to the lovely team at Write Magic for the writing sprints and various author friends and groups (with a special shout-out to Paul B. in Brighton, whose quick wit inspired a number of conversations in the story).

Thanks to my mum, Leoni, who has read countless drafts of my work over the years and who has shown me endless encouragement, and to my partner, Andy, and son, Alfie – your love and support mean the world to me.

About the Author

Rachel Burge works as a freelance feature writer and has written for a variety of websites, including BBC Worldwide, Cosmo and MTV. She lives in East Sussex with her partner and son.

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Copyright

First published in Great Britain in 2022 by

HOT KEY BOOKS

4th Floor, Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square

London WC1B 4DA

Owned by Bonnier Books

Sveavägen 56, Stockholm, Sweden

Text copyright © Rachel Burge, 2022 Cover art copyright © Alice Pattullo, 2022

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

The right of Rachel Burge to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN: 978-1-4714-1133-5

Also available in audio

This eBook was produced using Atomik ePublisher

Hot Key Books is an imprint of Bonnier Books UK