Polly Crosby – författare

A young girl.A hidden treasure.A dark family secret.‘Evocative and enchanting – a future classic' Veronica Henry‘An extraordinary debut… beautiful, dark, haunting’ Edward Carey‘A captivating coming-of-age story’ Daily Mail‘A bewitching read' Woman & HomeRomilly Kemp has an idyllic childhood, roaming the wilderness that surrounds her father’s ramshackle farmhouse. But when he makes her the star of his beautifully illustrated books, her carefree if somewhat lonely existence is threatened.The books are thought to hold clues to an elaborate treasure hunt, and strangers turn up at their door, anxious to get a glimpse of the ‘Kemp Treasure Girl’. But when her father falls ill, leaving Romilly more isolated and alone than ever, she begins to delve deeper into the books – and her past.As she makes sense of the clues he has hidden, she finds a truth that is far darker and more devastating than any treasure hunt has a right to be. For not everything that is hidden is gold. Praise for The Illustrated Child: 'Evocative and enchanting – a future classic and a star in the making' Veronica Henry‘An extraordinary debut… beautiful, dark, haunting and unforgettable. I loved it’ Edward Carey‘A captivating coming-of-age story with memorable characters beautifully brought to life in a setting dripping with atmosphere’ Daily Mail‘Part fantasy, part coming of age, the undercurrents of child neglect and mental ill health pull at you all the way through this poignant tale’ Heat‘A bewitching read' Woman & Home‘Written in fine, delicate prose, this treasure of a debut takes up the palette of emotions and paints with all the colours. Beautiful’ Nydia Hetherington‘Exquisitely written, stunning, totally unique. Everyone needs to read this’ Jessica Ryn‘A magical tale, beautifully written, evocative and mysterious, and stitched through with a dark thread that I wasn’t expecting. What a wonderful book’ Anita Frank‘A beautifully written tale that evokes dreams and imagination’ Daily Record

Two women.A wild Island.A truth buried deep in the past.‘Like a surreal cabinet of curiosities – haunting, eerie, evocative’ Bridget Collins, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Binding ‘This moving tale is set in a mesmerising world’Heat ‘Polly Crosby whips up a lush, mythical world in this dream-like novel . . . A book worm’s treat!’Eve Chase, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Glass HouseTartelin Brown is all alone in the world. So when she sees an advert for a job on a remote island, she knows she has nothing to lose.Her employer, Marianne Stourbridge, is a woman as strange and mysterious as the place she inhabits.Tasked with hunting butterflies for Marianne’s research, Tartelin quickly uncovers evidence of something even more intriguing – for Marianne has a remarkable past.Determined to piece together the story, Tartelin must first confront her own. But what she discovers on the island is more terrible and heart-breaking than she could ever have imagined.Atmospheric and deeply emotional, The Unravelling is the captivating novel from the author of The Illustrated Child.Readers love The Unravelling…‘I absolutely loved The Unravelling, and there is something really special about Crosby's beautiful and immersive storytelling’‘A beautiful haunting and uniquely captivating book’‘If you enjoyed The Lost Apothecary or The Mermaid of Black Conch, then this is definitely for you''A gorgeously written story, atmospheric and hauntingly beautiful. Captivating and totally immersive. It is one for those that like delving into mysteries of the past, to discover more about a family and to discover the secrets'

A haunting mystery for fans of Eve Chase, Dinah Jefferies 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 ’Polly Crosby’s writing is exquisite and this latest book is every bit as evocative as her previous novels’ My Weekly Top pick of the month May 2023 ‘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

'Shimmering with menace, this is a deliciously Gothic treat' Heat 'What a book! So intriguing, with a terrific plot and strong characters' Prima 'Simmering with secrets, this beguiling mystery is a dark delight’ Essie Fox, author of The Fascination'Builds an uneasy atmosphere that crept under my skin and kept me guessing until the end' Hester Musson, author of The Beholders Can she unlock the secrets of The House of Fever? 1935, Hedoné House, a luxurious sanatorium for the creative elite dedicated to the groundbreaking treatment of tuberculosis. As the doctor’s new wife, Agnes Templeton has pledged her life to a house of fever.But Hedoné is no ordinary hospital. High society rubs shoulders with artists, poets and musicians. No expense is spared on the comfort of the guests, and champagne flows freely. It’s a world away from everything Agnes knows.Her husband’s methods are unusual. There are whisperings about past patients and even a cure. Hedoné’s secrets draw Agnes in, revealing truths she could never anticipate, and soon she is caught between a past she is desperate to escape and a future she may forever regret.'Menacing, moody… the tension throughout promises a satisfying uncanny read' The Belfast Telegraph'A gripping, moving and sometimes sinister story' North Norfolk Living Praise for Polly Crosby ’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 UsWhat readers are saying about The House of Fever'Atmospheric, eerie, claustrophobic and beguiling' Netgalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A five star read. Really loved this story' Netgalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I devoured this book' Netgalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Atmospheric, fascinating, and full of glamour' Netgalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Control the story, control the world...Nesta believes in the fairy tales - the truestories of powerful magical women who shaped and ruled the worlddecades ago.But the world has changed since then, and now, she is forbiddenfrom wandering too far from the isolated woodland cottage whereshe lives with her grandmother. Nesta longs more than anything tosee the city that lies beyond the forest, and when hergrandmother is abducted, she gets her chance, journeying there inthe hope of rescuing her. But once there, she is horrified to see her grandmother'swarnings were true: girls are forced to wear certainclothes and punished if they don't behave in certain ways.The city's Authorities have rewritten history, replacing the fairytaleheroines with weak girls who must rely on men.Worse still - everyone believes this is how the world has alwaysbeen.Only Nesta knows the truth. But truth is a dangerousthing, and suddenly she finds herself a target. Can she evadethe Authorities long enough to rescue her grandmother and liberateeveryone else, bringing magic back into the world? The Handmaid's Tale meets The Brother's Grimm inthis thrilling dystopian fantasyA feminist fairy tale retelling which will make you rethink traditionalstories foreverYA debut from Polly Crosby, the much-loved author of Vitaand the Birds The Unravelling and The IllustratedChildA stunning cover by Noma Bar, the illustrator of Margaret Atwood'sbook covers

Enter a darkly dystopian world full of eerie folklore,in which illness and difference have been prohibited. But fromdeep beneath the earth, a rebellion is rising... Perfect for fansof Never Let Me Go and The Luminaries. Ora has always been fascinated by chilling fairy stories of theVulpine – the mythical, fox-like monsterswho live below ground, emerging at night to snatch 'imperfect'babies and children. Because Ora knows that disability and illnesshave no place in her world. To succeed is to be genetically ‘perfect’,just like her best friend Casta and his family.Then, one day, Casta’s baby sister disappears. And Ora’smother reveals a long-buried secret: Ora herself has a geneticillness that affects her lungs... And she's about to be foundout.Desperate for answers and sanctuary, Ora decides to do the unthinkableand seek out the fabled Vulpine. And below the earth, shediscovers a hidden world that turns everything she has been taughtupside-down... A unique and powerful story about stepping into your power andcreating a better world, with a brilliant cast of disabled heroes,from an author whose own experiences of chronic illness informOra's.A chilling dystopian world filled with eerie science fictionand a sweet, slow-burn romance.Perfect for fans of Never Let Me Go, A Handmaid'sTale, The Hunger Games and The Luminaries.