Kate Foster – författare

'Masterful . . . I literally didn't look up from the first page to the last' – Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The AppealDiscover this fiercely propulsive historical novel that gives voices to the women at the heart of Scotland’s sixteenth-century witch trials, from the Women’s Prize-longlisted author of The Maiden. Edinburgh, 1589. Princess Anna of Denmark is to wed King James VI of Scotland. First, she must pass the trial period: one year of marriage to prove herself worthy. Under the watchful eye of her loyal lady-in-waiting, Kirsten, Anna resolves to be the perfect royal bride. Until she meets Lord Henry . . .Meanwhile, young housemaid Jura has recently fled to the capital, seeking protection and anonymity. But her newfound safety is soon threatened when she is caught up in the witchcraft mania that has gripped the country - and its new queen.'A beautifully written tale of love and duty, fear and courage' – Jenny Ashcroft, bestselling author of The Echoes of Love'A gripping, poignant novel that gives voices to those so often unheard in historical accounts' – Elizabeth Lee, author of Cunning Women*The Maiden was longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction on 05/03/2024

Collins Big Cat supports every primary child on their reading journey from phonics to fluency. Top authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that children love to read. Levelled for guided and independent reading, each book includes ideas to support reading. Teaching and assessment support and eBooks are also available.Billie Nicks loves gymnastics. Her brilliant memory lends itself perfectly to remembering routines, and best of all, she gets to compete alongside her best friends. But Billie has found it difficult to get through a whole competition due to her anxiety and sensory sensitivities. Today, it’s her third attempt, and this time she’s determined to succeed!Diamond/Band 17 books offer more complex, underlying themes to give opportunities for children to understand causes and points of view.Pages 54 and 55 allow children to re-visit the content of the book, supporting comprehension skills, vocabulary development and recall.Ideas for reading in the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities.

Automation is everywhere: in the supermarket, in home appliances, and on our commutes. While we worry about what automation means for human autonomy now, human societies have long wondered about their replacement by machines. The Human and the Machine in Literature and Culture explores the pervasive – and long-standing – influence of automation on humanity by dismantling the prevalent future-oriented perspective of many automation debates. This collection examines how literature has conceptualized automation over centuries, from utopian visions of a world liberated from work and domestic labour to dystopian futures in which humans are surplus to requirements. We set out social and industrial developments which feed into discourses of automation and its mediation in literary cultures. By bringing together theoretical approaches to real-world automation with readings of its literary interpretations, this volume demonstrates literature’s role as a space for hypothesizing alternate realities, making clear literature’s propensity to inform our attitudes to real-world phenomena.

'Kate Foster can pluck a dark story from the depths of history and bring it to vivid life before your eyes . . . A strong contender for my book of the year' – Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The AppealInspired by an infamous real-life case, The Mourning Necklace is the unforgettable feminist historical novel from the Women's Prize-longlisted author of The Maiden, Kate Foster.They said I would swing for the crime, and I did . . .1724. In a tavern just outside Edinburgh, Maggie Dickson’s family drown their sorrows, mourning her death yet relieved she is gone. Shame haunts them. Hanged for the murder of her newborn child, passers-by avert their eyes from her cheap coffin on its rickety cart.But as her family pray her soul rests in peace, a figure appears at the door.It is Maggie. She is alive.Bruised and dazed, Maggie has little time for her family’s questions. All that matters to her is answering this one: will they hang her twice?* * *What readers are saying about The Mourning Necklace:'Absolutely superb . . . Kate Foster cannot put a foot wrong in this genre''I was so moved''Kate Foster is fast becoming one of my favourite authors'

‘Moving and masterful . . . transports you to 18th-century Scotland and says as much about modern life as it does about those harrowing times’ – Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The AppealInspired by an infamous real-life case, The Mourning Necklace is the unforgettable original feminist historical novel from the Women’s Prize-longlisted author of The Maiden, Kate Foster.They said I would swing for the crime and I did . . . I wear the rope-mark like a mourning necklace.1724. In a tavern just outside Edinburgh, the family of Maggie Dickson – hanged for the murder of her newborn child – drown their sorrows, mourning her death yet relieved she is gone. Shame haunts them; passers-by avert their eyes from her cheap coffin on its rickety cart.But as her family pray her soul rests in peace, a figure appears at the door.It is Maggie. She is alive.Bruised and dazed, Maggie has little time for her family’s questions. All that matters to her is answering one: will they hang her twice?Praise for Kate Foster:‘Riveting . . . The tension persists until the last page’ – The Times‘Tense, thrilling . . . with a decidedly feminist slant’ – Daily Mail‘Kate excels at bringing the forgotten women of history back to life and giving them the attention they deserve’ – Claire Evans, author of The Fourteenth Letter‘Captivating . . . Scratch beneath the surface of a Kate Foster novel and all of life is there in the most elegant prose’ – Marion Todd, author of the bestselling DI Clare Mackay series‘Brilliant . . . the new Hilary Mantel’ – Tina Baker, author of What We Did In The Storm

Her scandal. His revenge. The unforgettable new historical novel from award-winning author, Kate Foster.St Monans, Fife, Scotland 1790. Two women are forced to publicly repent in church, one for adultery the other for breaching the sabbath. Wealthy housewife, Florrie, and salt serf, Eliza, form a quick and unusual bond over their mutual humiliation. So when Florrie's husband decides she must accompany him on a trade venture to Iceland, she insists Eliza comes as her maid.Far from home, isolated and fearful, the two women grow ever closer. Then Florrie's husband reveals his sinister plan: he will leave her in Iceland, banished for the shame she has cast upon him. Florrie must escape, but when she turns to Eliza for help she realizes nothing is quite as it seems . . .Inspired by an attempt by Scottish merchants to annex Iceland as a remote prison for the British Empire, The Repentants is a chilling tale of betrayal, exile and survival from the Women's Prize long-listed author of The Maiden, Kate Foster.'Nothing short of a masterpiece' - Janice Hallett, author of The AppealPraise for Kate Foster:'Tense, thrilling . . . with a decidedly feminist slant' – Daily Mail'The tension persists until the last page' - The Times'Enthralling, compelling and at times chilling. Foster transports the reader back in time, bringing alive the forgotten and hidden voices of women in the past' – D. V. Bishop, author of City of Vengeance

The chilling tale of two women, forever bonded in their exile to the world's most desolate prison . . .Inspired by the real-life, unsuccessful attempt by Scottish landowners to annex Iceland for the British Empire, The Repentants is a sensational work of historical fiction from the Women's Prize longlisted author of The Maiden, Kate Foster.St Monans, Fife, Scotland 1770. Two women, a sabbath breacher and a flirt, are forced to publicly repent in church for their sins. Wealthy housewife Florrie and salt serf Eliza form a quick and unusual bond over their mutual shame. So when Florrie's husband Jonny decides she must accompany him to Ísafjörður, Iceland, where he is to open a new salt mine, Florrie insists Eliza comes as her maid.Isolated and fearful, surrounded by ice and darkness, the two women grow ever closer. And that's when Jonny reveals the sinister truth - he plans to leave Florrie in Iceland, imprisoned and banished in order to restore his own fragile reputation back home.Now Florrie must try to escape - whatever it takes. But when she turns to Eliza for support, she realizes nothing is as it seems in this strange and hostile land . . .Praise for Kate Foster:'Tense, thrilling . . . with a decidedly feminist slant' – Daily Mail'Masterful . . . I literally didn't look up from the first page to the last' – Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal'Enthralling, compelling and at times chilling. Foster transports the reader back in time, bringing alive the forgotten and hidden voices of women in the past' – D. V. Bishop, author of City of Vengeance

Alex’s best friend is Kevin the cockapoo, although what he wants most of all is a friend at school. A charming and gentle story about how life isn't one size fits all.Everything is changing for 11-year-old Alex and, as an autistic person, change can be terrifying. With the first day of high school only a couple of months away, Alex is sure that having a friend by his side will help. So, he’s devised a plan – impress the kids at school by winning a trophy at the PAWS Dog Show with his trusty sidekick, Kevin. This should be a walk in the park ... right?

The Times bestseller and winner of the Bloody Scotland Pitch Perfect Award and the Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the Year.'A masterpiece' – Janice Hallett, author of The AppealInspired by a real-life case, Kate Foster's The Maiden is a remarkable story with a feminist revisionist twist, giving a voice to women otherwise silenced by history.In the end, it did not matter what I said at my trial. No one believed me.Edinburgh, October 1679. Lady Christian is arrested and charged with the murder of her lover, James Forrester. News of her imprisonment and subsequent trial is splashed across the broadsides, with headlines that leave little room for doubt: Adulteress. Whore. Murderess. Only a year before, Lady Christian was newly married, leading a life of privilege and respectability. So, what led her to risk everything for an affair? And does that make her guilty of murder? She wasn't the only woman in Forrester's life, and certainly not the only one who might have had cause to wish him dead . . .'Exceptional – a tense, thrilling investigation, with a decidedly feminist slant' – Daily Mail'Riveting . . . the tension persists until the last page’ — The Times'Threat hangs over every page like the awaiting guillotine, but the women in this book gleam sharper' — Cari Thomas, bestselling author of Threadneedle

The Times bestseller and winner of the Bloody Scotland Pitch Perfect Award and the Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the Year.'A masterpiece' – Janice Hallett, author of The AppealInspired by a real-life case, Kate Foster's The Maiden is a remarkable story with a feminist revisionist twist, giving a voice to women otherwise silenced by history.In the end, it did not matter what I said at my trial. No one believed me.Edinburgh, October 1679. Lady Christian is arrested and charged with the murder of her lover, James Forrester. News of her imprisonment and subsequent trial is splashed across the broadsides, with headlines that leave little room for doubt: Adulteress. Whore. Murderess. Only a year before, Lady Christian was newly married, leading a life of privilege and respectability. So, what led her to risk everything for an affair? And does that make her guilty of murder? She wasn't the only woman in Forrester's life, and certainly not the only one who might have had cause to wish him dead . . .'Exceptional – a tense, thrilling investigation, with a decidedly feminist slant' – Daily Mail'Riveting . . . the tension persists until the last page’ — The Times'Threat hangs over every page like the awaiting guillotine, but the women in this book gleam sharper' — Cari Thomas, bestselling author of Threadneedle

Winner of the Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the Year'Exceptional — a tense, thrilling investigation, with a decidedly feminist slant' — Daily MailInspired by a real-life murder trial, The Maiden is a remarkable feminist revisionist novel that places the forgotten women of history firmly centre stage.In the end, it did not matter what I said at my trial. No one believed me.Edinburgh, 1679. Lady Christian is arrested and charged with the murder of her lover, James Forrester. News of her imprisonment and subsequent trial is splashed across the broadsides, with headlines that leave little room for doubt: Adulteress. Whore. Murderess. Only a year before, Lady Christian was newly married, leading a life of privilege and respectability. So, what led her to risk everything for an affair? And does that make her guilty of murder? She wasn't the only woman in Forrester's life, and certainly not the only one who might have had cause to wish him dead . . .Shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction'A masterpiece' — Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal'Riveting . . . the tension persists until the last page’ — The Times*The Maiden was longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction on 05/03/2024

'A masterpiece of historical fiction – I literally didn't look up from the first page to the last' – Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The AppealThe King’s Witches by Kate Foster is a compelling and beautiful historical novel that gives voices to the women at the heart of the real-life witch trials in sixteenth-century Scotland. Edinburgh, 1589. Princess Anna of Denmark is to wed King James VI of Scotland. First, she must pass the trial period: one year of marriage to prove herself worthy. Under the watchful eye of her loyal lady-in-waiting, Kirsten, Anna resolves to be the perfect royal bride. Until she meets Lord Henry . . .Meanwhile, young housemaid Jura has recently fled to the capital, seeking protection and anonymity. But her newfound safety is soon threatened when she is caught up in the witchcraft mania that has gripped the country – and the new queen.'Enthralling, compelling and at times chilling . . . An utterly timely tale' – D. V. Bishop, prize-winning author of A Divine Fury'A beautifully written tale of love and duty, fear and courage' – Jenny Ashcroft, bestselling author of The Echoes of Love*The Maiden was longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction on 05/03/2024

A rescue story of love and trust between a boy and a dog from the talented author of Paws.Matt is a football superstar. He can handle anything. Except lately his chest feels empty and his head is screaming. He can’t concentrate in school or enjoy football any more, and he is so, so tired. When Matt stumbles across an abandoned dog, there’s no doubt in his mind that he has to save him.But maybe the dog isn’t the only one who needs help.

The world's happiest and most dog-friendly superhero is here! A brand new, charming adventure for young readers.Meet Harriet Hound. She's eight years old and loves dogs!But Harriet has something else that makes her super ... the power to summon the dogs from her family's rescue shelter every time there’s trouble afoot.Whether it's a carnival catastrophe, a sudden storm, or vanishing vegetables, Harriet and her best dog friends use their super special talents and problem-solving skills to save the day!