Think you know bad neighbours? Think again. Opal Jones grew up trapped under the same roof as her reckless alcoholic mum. She escaped as soon as she could, ran away when she was just twelve years old. Thirteen years on, her mum is dead and Opal must return to the old neighbourhood. When she does, it feels like going back in time. Nosey Mrs Pickess is still playing Neighbourhood Watch from behind her well-polished windows. Fishbo, Opal’s ancient music teacher, still plays trumpet with his band. And her favourite neighbour, Margaret Reid, is still around to greet her with a kind word and a heartfelt smile. Everything is as Opal left it. Except for little Craig Southgate, the adorable toddler next door. Ten years ago, he slipped out the garden gate and disappeared. No one in their street saw anything. But Opal knows that can’t be true. Which of them is lying? Opal won’t rest until she unravels the mystery. But what if the answer lies buried in her own dark past?
Author
aka Catriona McCloud Catriona McPherson was born in South Queensferry. After finishing school, she worked in a bank for a short time, before going to university. She studied for an MA in English Language and Linguistics at Edinburgh University, and then gained a job in the local studies department at Edinburgh City Libraries. She left this post after a couple of years, and went back to university to study for a PhD in semantics. During her final year she applied for an academic job, but left to begin a writing career. These days, McPherson lives with her husband on a farm in the Galloway countryside, where she spends her time writing, gardening, swimming and running.
