The End of Summer

By Charlotte Philby

‘Sultry and seductive… utterly compelling’ LUCY CLARKE

‘A spectacular triumph… literary suspense at its most deadly and delicious’ MATTHEW BLAKE

Starts with a bang and keeps the surprises coming until the last page’ ERIN KELLY

Your mother is not who you think she is…

When the phone rings in Judy McVee’s Languedoc farmhouse, she knows her past has finally caught up with her. It’s her daughter, frantically asking why there are journalists on her London doorstep making terrible accusations.

Decades earlier, Judy was a girl with big plans – to ensnare a rich husband, to make something of herself, to rise above her upbringing and leave behind past tragedies. Wealthy young widower Rory Harrington seemed the perfect target – but Judy hadn’t reckoned on actually falling in love with him.

Now her daughter Francesca, who has secrets of her own, must come to terms with the realisation that the mother she thought she knew wasn’t real. Where has Judy gone – and was anything she told her family true?

Moving from Cape Cod to London, New York to the South of France, THE END OF SUMMER is a gripping, nuanced literary thriller from a writer at the top of her game.

Format: Hardback
Release Date: 20 Jun 2024
Pages: 368
ISBN: 978-0-00-846642-8
Charlotte Philby worked for the Independent for eight years as a columnist, editor and reporter, and was shortlisted for the Cudlipp Prize for her investigative journalism at the 2013 Press Awards. A former contributing editor and feature writer at Marie Claire, she has written for publications including the New Statesman, Sunday Times, Guardian, Telegraph, Elle, Tatler, Inside Time, and has been a guest on shows ranging from NPR’s Note to Self podcast to BBC Radio 4 Front Row. This is her fifth novel.

'A sultry and seductive suspense novel with richly drawn characters and a skilfully woven plot. Utterly compelling from the first page to the last. Charlotte Philby is a writer at the very top of her game' LUCY CLARKE -

”'A spectacular triumph! The End of Summer is literary suspense at its most deadly and delicious. Charlotte Philby has crafted a stunning tale of family secrets that questions whether we ever really know those around us. With sun-drenched escapism, sumptuously glamorous locations and characters to die for, this is the thriller of the summer and a story you never want to end” - MATTHEW BLAKE

”'An elegant, provocative, twisting thriller. The End of Summer is hugely entertaining and beautifully written” - CHRIS WHITAKER

”'Starts with a bang and keeps the surprises coming until the last page” - ERIN KELLY

”'Do we ever really know the people we love? Can we ever really know the people we love? The End of Summer takes us all over the world - oh, the glamour! Oh, the fun! - but at its heart are these desperate questions. Charlotte Philby is at the top of her game with this pacy glamorous literary thriller. Wonderful!” - HOLLY WATT

”'Sun-soaked, secret-packed and seriously page-turning, this is the perfect literary beach read” - ELLORY LLOYD