The Secret Collector

'Wonderfully drawn characters you really root for . . . a delightfully uplifting story' - Mike Gayle, author of All the Lonely People When an elderly eccentric collector and a troubled teen become each other's only hope of getting their lives back on track, what can possibly go wrong? Alfred is an elderly widower who uses antiques and collectibles to fill the hole in his heart left by his late wife. Kian is a lost teen who has been let down by the care system and finds it difficult staying on the straight and narrow. After Kian throws a brick through Alfred's window, the shock sends Alfred to hospital and a social worker to his home, where his hoarding becomes impossible to ignore. Begrudgingly, and at the request of the authorities, they both agree to enrol Kian on a restorative justice programme, helping to make Alfred's home liveable again. The only problem: Alfred doesn't want to throw any of his treasures away, and he certainly doesn't want Kian for company. What unfolds is a surprising and delightful journey of two characters who help each other more than they ever could have anticipated and, along the way, form the unlikeliest of friendships. An uplifting and warm story about friendship across generations, the power of community and finding hope where it had been lost. Perfect for fans of Sally Page's The Keeper of Stories and Evie Woods's The Lost Bookshop. 'A complete joy' - Alexandra Potter, bestselling author of Confessions of a Forty-Something Fk Up 'Full of compassion, warmth and insight' - Laura Barnett, author of The Versions of Us * Readers LOVE The Secret Collector: 'If there was a moral to this story I think it would be, "It only takes one person who believes in you to change your life"' 'The characters appear so real, and the story with its ups and downs kept me riveted. I couldn't put the book down until the very last page. A book of hope in difficult times' 'My favourite book of the last few years' 'Made me so emotional at times' 'A great book club book' 'I loved this book, it reminded me of Sally Page' 'Heartwarming' 'Cried nearly every chapter, so moving' 'Charming!'

Abigail Johnson wrote this novel while completing the Curtis Brown Creative three-month novel writing course, where she was tutored by author Laura Barnett. It was longlisted for the 2021 and 2022 Bath Novel Award. Her writing has also been longlisted for the Exeter Novel Award, shortlisted for the 2021 Edinburgh Flash Fiction Award and she was a Friday Night Live finalist at the Festival of Writing in 2017. She lives in Birmingham.