Ruth Hogan – författare

Full of character, wit, and wisdom, The Keeper of Lost Things is heartwarming tale that will enchant fans of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Garden Spells, Mrs Queen Takes the Train, and The Silver Linings Playbook.

Lime green plastic flower-shaped hair bobbles—Found, on the playing field, Derrywood Park, 2nd September.

Bone china cup and saucer—Found, on a bench in Riveria Public Gardens, 31st October.

Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects—the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidently left behind—and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost.

Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony’s lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.

Long ago, Eunice found a trinket on the London pavement and kept it through the years. Now, with her own end drawing near, she has lost something precious—a tragic twist of fate that forces her to break a promise she once made.

As the Keeper of Lost Objects, Laura holds the key to Anthony and Eunice’s redemption. But can she unlock the past and make the connections that will lay their spirits to rest?

A charming, clever, and quietly moving novel of of endless possibilities and joyful discoveries that explores the promises we make and break, losing and finding ourselves, the objects that hold magic and meaning for our lives, and the surprising connections that bind us.

From the wildly popular bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things comes a surprising and uplifting story about the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters, and the magic of chosen family.Tilly was a bright, outgoing little girl who loved fizzy drinks, naughty words, and liked playing with ghosts and matches. When her beloved father suddenly disappeared, she and her fragile, difficult mother moved into Queenie Malone’s magnificent Paradise Hotel in Brighton, with its endearing and loving family of misfits—including the exuberant and compassionate Queenie herself. But then Tilly was dealt another shattering blow when her mother sent her off to boarding school with little explanation and no warning, and she lost her beloved chosen family.

Now an adult, Tilda has grown into an independent woman still damaged by her mother’s unaccountable cruelty. Wary of people, her only true friend is her dog, Eli. When her estranged mother dies, Tilda returns to Brighton and the home she loved best. With the help of the still-dazzling Queenie, she sets about unraveling the mystery of her exile from The Paradise Hotel, only to discover that her mother was not the woman she thought she knew at all…and that it’s never too late to write your own happy ending.

With Ruth Hogan’s trademark quirky, clever, and life-affirming characters, Queenie Malone’s Paradise Hotel will dazzle readers and mesmerize them until they reach the surprising twist at the end.

*THE PERFECT COSY UP-LIT READ, RECOMMENDED BY THOUSANDS OF READERS*THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER & WINNER OF THE RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB*''One of the most charming novels either of us has read. Don''t lose it. Keep it'' Richard & JudyMeet the ''Keeper of Lost Things''...Once a celebrated author of short stories now in his twilight years, Anthony Peardew has spent half his life collecting lost objects, trying to atone for a promise broken many years before.Realising he is running out of time, he leaves his house and all its lost treasures to his assistant Laura, the one person he can trust to fulfil his legacy and reunite the thousands of objects with their rightful owners.But the final wishes of the ''Keeper of Lost Things'' have unforeseen repercussions which trigger a most serendipitous series of encounters...''Touching, funny and romantic'' Daily Mail''A charming read, perfect for the holidays'' The Lady''A warm and heartfelt debut'' PrimaAnd if you loved The Keeper of Lost Things, don''t miss Ruth Hogan''s other novels, Queenie Malone''s Paradise Hotel, and The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes.*The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan was chosen by followers as the winner of the Richard and Judy Autumn 2017 Book Club. It charted in the top ten for Sunday Times Paperback Fiction in weeks 48, 49 and 50 of 2017.

An irresistible novel of unexpected friendships, second chances and dark secrets, from the bestselling author and Queen of Uplit Ruth Hogan.''Warm and wise'' Guardian | ''A book to really love'' Stylist | ''Will soften even the hardest of hearts'' Red | ''Subtle and poignant'' Good Housekeeping | ''Plenty of spirit and heart'' Daily Mail | ''An adorable heartfelt story'' Prima | ''Filled with hope and the power of friendship'' Evening Standard | ''A whimsical, wistful affair'' Sunday Express | ''A wrenching story of recovery'' Metro

Once a spirited, independent woman with a rebellious streak, Masha''s life has been forever changed by a tragic event twelve years ago. Unable to let go of her grief, she finds comfort in her faithful canine companion Haizum, and peace in the quiet lanes of her town''s lido.

Then a chance encounter with two extraordinary women - the fabulous and wise Kitty Muriel, a convent girl turned magician''s wife turned seventy-something roller disco fanatic, and the mysterious Sally Red Shoes, a bag lady with a prodigious voice - opens up a new world of possibilities, and the chance to start living again. But just as Masha dares to imagine the future, her past comes roaring back ...

Like her bestselling debut, The Keeper of Lost Things, The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes introduces a cast of wonderful characters, both ordinary and charmingly eccentric, who lead us through a moving exploration of the joy of friendship and the simple human connections that make life worth living.

*And if you loved The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes, check out Ruth Hogan''s latest novel, Madame Burova . . . coming soon in 2021*

WINNER OF THE ROMANTIC NOVELISTS'' ASSOCIATION AWARD 2020PICKED FOR WORLD BOOK NIGHT 2020A PRIMA BOOK OF THE YEAR

An uplifting novel of mothers and daughters, secrets and the astonishing power of friendship, from the wildly popular bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things.''As lovely as a burst of bright bluebells'' Sunday Express ''Technicolour'' Daily Mail''A moving exploration of the complex relationship between mothers and daughters'' Observer''A poignant tale of love and family'' Good Housekeeping''Enchanting . . . divine'' Prima ''Beautifully written - astute and funny'' Daily Express''This book really shines . . . laugh-out-loud funny'' Stylist

Tilly was a bright, outgoing little girl who liked playing with ghosts and matches. She loved fizzy drinks, swear words, fish fingers and Catholic churches, but most of all she loved living in Brighton in Queenie Malone''s magnificent Paradise Hotel with its endearing and loving family of misfits. But Tilly''s childhood was shattered when her mother sent her away from the only home she''d ever loved to boarding school with little explanation and no warning.

Now an adult, Tilda has grown into an independent woman still damaged by her mother''s unaccountable cruelty. Wary of people, her only friend is her dog, Eli. But when her mother dies, Tilda returns to Brighton and with the help of her beloved Queenie sets about unravelling the mystery of her exile from The Paradise Hotel, only to discover that her mother was not the woman she thought she knew at all ...

Mothers and daughters ... their story can be complicated ... but it can also turn out to have a happy ending.''A tender tale'' Woman & Home''Absorbing, tender and heartfelt'' Mike Gayle, author of The Man I Think I Know''Her best novel yet'' Hannah Beckerman, author of If Only I Could Tell You''Exuberant and full of zest'' Nina Pottell

''The ''Queen of Uplit'' returns brilliantly to form with this gloriously good-natured novel.'' DAILY MAIL ''Supremely upliftng ...an absolute gem'' - MIKE GAYLE ''Stunning, immersive and absolutely wonderful'' - ANNIE LYONS ''Woke up early to finish this breathtakingly beautiful story ... absolutely wonderful'' - CELIA ANDERSON ''Blooming with wonderful, vibrant and charismatic characters'' PRIMA

Madame Burova - Tarot Reader, Palmist and Clairvoyant is retiring and leaving her booth on the Brighton seafront after fifty years.

Imelda Burova has spent a lifetime keeping other people''s secrets and her silence has come at a price. She has seen the lovers and the liars, the angels and the devils, the dreamers and the fools. Her cards had unmasked them all and her cards never lied. But Madame Burova is weary of other people''s lives, their ghosts from the past and other people''s secrets, she needs rest and a little piece of life for herself. Before that, however, she has to fulfill a promise made a long time ago. She holds two brown envelopes in her hand, and she has to deliver them.

In London, it is time for another woman to make a fresh start. Billie has lost her university job, her marriage, and her place in the world when she discovers something that leaves her very identity in question. Determined to find answers, she must follow a trail which might just lead right to Madame Burova''s door.

In a story spanning over fifty years, Ruth Hogan conjures a magical world of 1970s holiday camps and seaside entertainers, eccentrics, heroes and villains, the lost and the found. Young people, with their lives before them, make choices which echo down the years. And a wall of death rider is part of a love story which will last through time.

Rakkaudentäyteinen feel good -romaani parhaaseen brittityyliin

Ruth Hoganin esikoisromaani Kadonneiden tavaroiden vartija kietoo toisiinsa yllätyksellisellä tavalla monta tarinaa rakkaudesta.

Padua on ruusupuutarhan ympäröimä lontoolainen talo, jonka omistaa iäkäs kirjailija Anthony Peardew. Kirjailijan apuna työskentelee nelikymppinen Laura, joka pakenee ihmissuhteiden haavoittavuutta Paduan ruusuntuoksuisiin huoneisiin ja pysähtyneeseen aikaan.

Neljäkymmentä vuotta aiemmin nuori Eunice kiiruhtaa pitkin Lontoon Bloomsbury Streetiä työhaastatteluun. Vihreä ovi, kolkutus. Ennen kuin Eunice on edes ehtinyt astua kynnyksen yli, hän on umpirakastunut sen toisella puolella seisovaan mieheen.

Ruth Hoganin romaani leikkaa läpi vuosikymmenten 70-luvulta nykypäivään ja kietoo toisiinsa yllätyksellisellä tavalla monta tarinaa rakkaudesta. Pääjuonta puhkovat vanhan kirjailijan talteen keräämiin esineisiin liittyvät pienet tarinat. Niiden kirpeys jää mieleen, mutta sitäkin vahvempana läikähtää sydämeen Hoganin maailman lämmin toivo.

Rakkaudentäyteinen feel good -romaani parhaaseen brittityyliin

Ruth Hoganin esikoisromaani Kadonneiden tavaroiden vartija kietoo toisiinsa yllätyksellisellä tavalla monta tarinaa rakkaudesta.

Padua on ruusupuutarhan ympäröimä lontoolainen talo, jonka omistaa iäkäs kirjailija Anthony Peardew. Kirjailijan apuna työskentelee nelikymppinen Laura, joka pakenee ihmissuhteiden haavoittavuutta Paduan ruusuntuoksuisiin huoneisiin ja pysähtyneeseen aikaan.

Neljäkymmentä vuotta aiemmin nuori Eunice kiiruhtaa pitkin Lontoon Bloomsbury Streetiä työhaastatteluun. Vihreä ovi, kolkutus. Ennen kuin Eunice on edes ehtinyt astua kynnyksen yli, hän on umpirakastunut sen toisella puolella seisovaan mieheen.

Ruth Hoganin romaani leikkaa läpi vuosikymmenten 70-luvulta nykypäivään ja kietoo toisiinsa yllätyksellisellä tavalla monta tarinaa rakkaudesta. Pääjuonta puhkovat vanhan kirjailijan talteen keräämiin esineisiin liittyvät pienet tarinat. Niiden kirpeys jää mieleen, mutta sitäkin vahvempana läikähtää sydämeen Hoganin maailman lämmin toivo.

Kirpeä, toivoa herättävä lukuromaani parhaaseen brittityyliin

Ruth Hoganin romaanissa Lauluja variksille eksentristen ja rakastettavien henkilöhahmojen tarina avautuu houkuttelevan viipyilevästi yksityiskohta kerrallaan

Mashalla on surua, johon hän hakee lohtua kuljeksimalla koiransa kanssa vanhalla hautausmaalla. Hän muistaa ulkoa sen kiviin hakatut nimet ja enkelipatsaat. Hän tunnistaa siellä kävijät, kuten pienen homssuisen naisen, joka iltapäivisin ruokkii variksia – ja laulaa. Laulaa niin, että vihdoinkin jokin Mashassa herää eloon.

Alice on totaaliyksinhuoltaja. Ei isovanhempia, setiä, tätejä, kummeja, ei mitään tukiverkostoa. Mattie-pojan murrosikä alkaa oireilla, mutta se on vain pieni poutapilvi verrattuna suurempaan varjoon, joka on lankeamassa pienen perheen ylle.

Ruth Hoganin Lauluja variksille on viisas ja ihastuttavan kuivalla huumorilla kirpeytetty kertomus surusta ja siitä selviämisestä, mutta sen heleimpinä nuotteina soivat ystävyys ja rakkaus.

Kirpeä, toivoa herättävä lukuromaani parhaaseen brittityyliin

Ruth Hoganin romaanissa Lauluja variksille eksentristen ja rakastettavien henkilöhahmojen tarina avautuu houkuttelevan viipyilevästi yksityiskohta kerrallaan

Mashalla on surua, johon hän hakee lohtua kuljeksimalla koiransa kanssa vanhalla hautausmaalla. Hän muistaa ulkoa sen kiviin hakatut nimet ja enkelipatsaat. Hän tunnistaa siellä kävijät, kuten pienen homssuisen naisen, joka iltapäivisin ruokkii variksia – ja laulaa. Laulaa niin, että vihdoinkin jokin Mashassa herää eloon.

Alice on totaaliyksinhuoltaja. Ei isovanhempia, setiä, tätejä, kummeja, ei mitään tukiverkostoa. Mattie-pojan murrosikä alkaa oireilla, mutta se on vain pieni poutapilvi verrattuna suurempaan varjoon, joka on lankeamassa pienen perheen ylle.

Ruth Hoganin Lauluja variksille on viisas ja ihastuttavan kuivalla huumorilla kirpeytetty kertomus surusta ja siitä selviämisestä, mutta sen heleimpinä nuotteina soivat ystävyys ja rakkaus.

Ystävyydentäyteinen hyvän mielen romaani parhaaseen brittityyliin

Ruth Hoganin Queenie Malonen Paratiisihotelli on romaani äideistä ja tyttäristä, lapsuuden lopusta ja ystävyyden voimasta. Se sopii käteen erityisesti silloin, kun kaipaa lohtulukemista.

Tilly elää lapsuutensa kimmeltäviä päiviä Brightonissa. Hän ajelee pyörällään, raapii rupia polvistaan ja rakastaa lorvailua Queenien Paratiisihotellissa, jonne on kerääntynyt sekalainen joukko oman polkunsa kulkijoita. Yhtäkkiä yhteydet tähän maailmaan katkeavat, kun äiti lähettää Tillyn toiselle paikkakunnalle kouluun.

Äidin kuoltua nelikymppinen Tilda palaa Brightoniin selvittämään syitä äkkilähtöönsä ja utuiset muistikuvat alkavat hahmottua uudenlaisiksi, kun vähitellen paljastuu, että äiti olikin aivan toisenlainen nainen kuin se, jona Tilly hänet tunsi.

Ruth Hoganin rakastettavat henkilöhahmot, ilmaisuvoimainen kieli ja yksityiskohdilla herkutteleva kerronta nostavat jälleen esiin elämän varjoissakin paistavat valopilkut. Ystävät, rakkaat ystävät.