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Reading lists

Complex heroines you can’t help but root for

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The best books about friendships

12 debut fiction authors of 2022, their portraits arranged in a checker pattern.

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The best debut fiction to read this spring

A collage of author headshots, seen against a colourful pink and green pattern.

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Interviews

The Penguin Podcast meets 5 of the biggest debuts novelists of 2022

The hopeful and uplifting debut you’ll never forget

Meredith, Alone

An uplifting and unforgettable story of love, hope – and finding you're not alone . . . 
 
NAMED 'ONE TO WATCH' IN GRAZIA, CULTUREFLY, THE BOOKSELLER AND BY THE BBC 
 
'Gorgeous. I shed tears. Very, very touching, sweet and hopeful' MARIAN KEYES 
'Heartbreaking and glorious . . . [An] absolute joy of a novel' HEAT, 'BOOK OF THE WEEK' 
'Beautiful, moving and unexpectedly timely. It's such a pleasure to spend time in Meredith's world' DAISY BUCHANAN 
'Touching and funny and sad and hopeful. I loved Meredith, Alone so much!' JANE FALLON 
________ 
 
Meredith Maggs has everything a person needs. 
 
A best friend in Sadie. 
A beloved cat in Fred. 
Jigsaws to fill the time. 
Recipes to perfect. 
Even a weekly visit from the Tesco delivery guy. 
 
So what if she hasn't left the house in 1,214 days? That her memories are treacherous, and it's getting harder to ignore the estranged sister knocking at her door. 
 
How long can one woman keep the world out? 
How long before she invites in what's out there? 
And how long does it take to discover the person you were meant to be? 
 
________ 
 
'Absolutely gorgeous. If you like a book that makes you feel all the feels, this is the one to go for' Miranda Dickinson 
 
'I laughed, I cried, and I bowed down to the brilliant author of this brilliant book' Gillian McAllister, bestselling author of That Night 
 
'Thought provoking, relatable and hopeful. Ultimately this is a very human novel with a huge amount of heart' Culturefly, 'Books To Look Forward To' 
 
'A gorgeous, charming novel . . . Sweet, moving, funny and hopeful, with a courageous heroine who sweeps you up in her story' Jennifer Saint, Sunday Times bestselling author of Ariadne 
 
'This will be big' The Bookseller Editor's Choice

Gorgeous. I shed tears. Very, very touching, sweet and hopeful

Meredith, Alone is beautiful, moving and unexpectedly timely and this time next summer everyone is going to know Claire Alexander's name. It's such a pleasure to spend time in Meredith's world

Fans of Eleanor Oliphant will love this big-hearted book [...] Meredith is a wonderful character

Absolutely gorgeous. If you like a book that makes you feel all the feels, this is the one to go for

Miranda Dickinson, bestselling author of Take A Look At Me Now

Beautiful . . . A story filled with love and hope, and well-crafted characters

With a gorgeous cast of characters, this story tackles difficult subjects, and unfolds sensitively. Fans of Eleanor Oliphant [...] will devour it

I laughed, I cried, and I bowed down to the brilliant author of this brilliant book

Gillian McAllister, bestselling author of That Night

This moving story tackles difficult subjects, but unfolds beautifully and sensitively

Heartbreaking and glorious . . . [An] absolute joy of a novel

A gorgeous, charming novel . . . Sweet, moving, funny and hopeful, with a courageous heroine who sweeps you up in her story

Jennifer Saint, Sunday Times bestselling author of Ariadne

I loved Meredith, Alone so much! Touching and funny and sad and hopeful. I have a Meredith shaped hole in my life now I've finished it

Jane Fallon, bestselling author of Worst Idea Ever

Fans of Eleanor Oliphant will love this big-hearted book . . . Meredith is a wonderful character

Thought provoking, relatable and hopeful. Ultimately this is a very human novel with a huge amount of heart

Meredith is such a lovely character and will break your heart

Julie Owen Moylan, author of That Green Eyed Girl

A touching novel about family, friendship and being in the world, full of warmth

It's not sugar coated but it's not depressing either, with Alexander finding just the right balance to make this a thought provoking, relatable and uplifting book. With a wonderfully ordinary cast of characters, all of them just trying to do the best they can with the hands they've been dealt, Meredith, Alone celebrates friendship, connection, forgiveness and the healing power of love. Ultimately this is a very human novel with a huge amount of heart

A beautiful unfolding of a character I was not ready to let go of at the end of this book. Meredith's story is a raw and poignant reflection of what it means to rebuild a life after trauma

Dr Julie Smith, bestselling author of Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before

This affecting, absorbing debut about an agoraphobic sociophobe reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine

You'll root for Meredith all the way

This story tackles difficult subjects, but unfolds beautifully and sensitively. Fans of Gail Honeyman's bestseller Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine will devour it

Absolute page-turner . . . I loved being in the company of Meredith

Ultimately a book about hope and the power of friendship. A moving read which will leave you thinking about Meredith - even after you've turned the last page

Spirited, lovely, and full of hope

I love this book for so many reasons, but mostly for Meredith herself who is both flawed and loveable. Although Meredith Alone is totally unique, it also reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine in all the best ways

Meredith is a likeable heroine who you can't help but root for . . . This is a book about hope and the power of friendship

Alexander's touching debut is beautifully written and . . . brims with hope and the possibility of happiness. Sensitive, relatable

Set to be one of the biggest debuts of the summer . . . Fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine should be prepared to fall in love with Meredith, Alone

Uplifting . . . there's a balance between darker themes and inspiring, uplifting ones: finding hope when (or where) you least expect it and learning to love yourself

For fans of Gail Honeywell's Eleanor Oliphant, Claire Alexander's debut novel is a moving story of finding inner strength and courage to overcome our deepest fears . . . Both heartwarming and heartbreaking, Alexander pulls at the heartstrings as we root for Meredith from the very beginning

A novel that examines our most private spaces and what it means to be alone versus lonely, this charming, thought-provoking debut novel will be a big hit

A touching contemporary fiction following one woman's journey back into the world

A timely and poignant book about trauma, loneliness, and stepping outside of our comfort zones - literally

[A] satisfying debut. The endearing characters offer a sensitive portrayal of what it means to live with mental health issues... with heart to spare

Meredith Maggs hasn't left her house in 1,214 days. But she insists she isn't alone . . . 
 
She has her cat Fred. Her friend Sadie visits when she can. There's her online support group, StrengthInNumbers. She has her jigsaws, favourite recipes, her beloved Emily Dickinson, the internet, the Tesco delivery man and her treacherous memories for company. 
 
But something's about to change. Whether Meredith likes it or not, the world is coming to her door . . . Does she have the courage to overcome what's been keeping her inside all this time?

Claire Alexander

I cried and laughed and utterly loved THE PIECES OF US – this book has all the feels – I ADORED it!

With themes of resilience, memory and the complexities of womanhood, this novel offers a heartfelt exploration of familial bonds and personal growth

Raw, heartbreaking, and oh so beautiful! I wanted to climb inside the pages and never leave.

CLAIRE FRANCIS, author of To Hell With It

I loved this moving story about mothers, daughters and secrets from the past that can no longer be contained. Claire Alexander writes about our deepest emotional truths with acuity and a sense of hope.

Praise for Meredith, Alone

Gorgeous. I shed tears. Very, very touching, sweet and hopeful

Heartbreaking and glorious . . . [An] absolute joy of a novel

Beautiful, moving and unexpectedly timely

Touching and funny and sad and hopeful. I loved Meredith, Alone so much!

Beautifully written, a story of womanhood in all its facets. I loved it!

Three generations of women. Three life altering events. As they discover the truth of their heritage, they'll discover what makes the pieces of us... 
 
At fifty-eight Minnie McAllister isn’t an old woman. But as Alzheimer’s ravages her mind, her brain says otherwise. 
 
Cat McAllister is tackling everything life can throw at her. And just when she thinks it can’t get any worse, she’s faced with the discovery that Minnie might not be the mother she once knew. 
 
Meanwhile, Cat's daughter, Ruby McAllister, who is staring at a two very blue lines, faces a decision that will change the course of her life. 
 
As three generations of women are pulled in three different directions, each are forced to learn lessons about themselves that they never could have imagined.

Claire Alexander

Praise for The Pieces of Us

I cried and laughed and utterly loved THE PIECES OF US – this book has all the feels – I ADORED it!

With themes of resilience, memory and the complexities of womanhood, this novel offers a heartfelt exploration of familial bonds and personal growth

Raw, heartbreaking, and oh so beautiful! I wanted to climb inside the pages and never leave.

I cried and laughed and utterly loved THE PIECES OF US – this book has all the feels – I ADORED it!

With themes of resilience, memory and the complexities of womanhood, this novel offers a heartfelt exploration of familial bonds and personal growth

Raw, heartbreaking, and oh so beautiful! I wanted to climb inside the pages and never leave.

I cried and laughed and utterly loved THE PIECES OF US – this book has all the feels – I ADORED it!

With themes of resilience, memory and the complexities of womanhood, this novel offers a heartfelt exploration of familial bonds and personal growth

Raw, heartbreaking, and oh so beautiful! I wanted to climb inside the pages and never leave.

Books by Claire Alexander

Articles featuring Claire Alexander

Complex heroines you can’t help but root for

The best books about friendships

The best debut fiction to read this spring

The Penguin Podcast meets 5 of the biggest debuts novelists of 2022

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