A little warning upfront: this story is likely to break your heart. But it will also fill your soul with joy and hope … and have you laughing out loud at moments too! It’s 1947 and Margaret is only seven years old when she ‘vanishes’ to St Mary’s, a home for children with physical and learning disabilities. Some 68 years later, our heroine is struggling to come to terms with the death of lifelong idol, Cilla Black. She knows it's time to move on – but how can she when her precious ‘C’ keeps reaching out with personal letters and gifts? There’s so much to love in Neil Alexander’s tender debut. Margaret’s relationship with carer Wayne is gorgeously authentic, and although not always an easy read, the first-person narrative crackles with pathos. But the real magic of the novel is Margaret’s strength of spirit. Each tragic episode chips away at her resolve– abandonment, assault, cruelty, loss and heartbreak – but in spite of it all, she never gives up hope. In The Vanishing of Margaret Small, Alexander has created a poignant and important novel about difference, and how the treatment of people with learning disabilities has evolved over time. Yes, it is full of sadness, but all of this is perfectly balanced with moments of uplifting warmth. We’re reminded people can be kind, and that with the right support around us, we can all make something of our lives, whatever obstacles we’ve had to overcome in the process. An absorbing, thought-provoking and skilful debut.
'An evocative, endearing, entertaining and thoroughly delicious character portrait and a terrific first novel' - Donal MacIntyre, TV presenter
'A tender, thought-provoking and totally gripping novel from a wonderful storyteller...deserves to be a huge hit!' - Matt Cain, author of The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle
Meet Margaret Small: 75, plain spoken, Whitstable native and a Cilla Black super fan. Shortly after the death of her idol, Margaret begins receiving sums of money in the post, signed simply 'C'.
She is convinced it must be Cilla, but how can it be? To solve the mystery of her benefactor Margaret must go back in her memories almost 70 years, to the time when she was 'vanished' to a long-stay institution for children with learning disabilities.
An absorbing and page-turning mystery with a dual timeline, The Vanishing of Margaret Small takes readers into a fascinating past, and introduces an unforgettable literary heroine.
Perfect for fans of Libby Page and Gail Honeyman.
Praise for The Vanishing of Margaret Small:
'A captivating and charming story' - Imogen Clark
'Funny, sad and uplifting all at once' - Frances Quinn
'A beautiful story of human spirit and its power to thrive against the odds' - Anstey Harris
'A fantastic, feel-good story . . . rich in nostalgia and a joy to read' - Matson Taylor
'Beautifully observed and poignant. An outstanding debut.' Alex Brown
'Compelling and authentic . . . Margaret's story is quiet but her voice is mighty' - Julietta Henderson
