Wish You Were Here

Written by Catherine Alliott

Narrated by Caroline Doughty

Family secrets revealed, unannounced house guests, a husband's wandering eye, and an old love affair to boot... so much for Flora's luxurious escape to the chateau in the South of France.

When Flora, James and their two teenage daughters are offered the holiday of a lifetime in a chateau in the south of France in return for one simple good deed, they jump at the chance. They exchange the confines of London, the weight of the mortgage, and anxieties over their future for a blissful family vacation.

But Flora didn't anticipate a mysterious guest and a whole heap of family baggage to come along as well.

With James developing a schoolboy crush on a famous singer and Flora distracted by ghosts from her past, their dream holiday suddenly takes some very unexpected turns.

• Language: English
• Publisher: No Shooz Publishing
• Release date: Apr 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781948224376

Catherine Alliott

'People often ask me if I always had a burning desire to be an author, and the honest answer is no, in fact, it almost happened by accident. I was working as a copywriter in an ad agency and tired of writing blurb for soap powder, began writing a novel under the desk. I had no thought of publication, was just doing it to relieve the boredom, but I must say it was a bit of a shock when my boss walked in one day and said we're not sure you're entirely committed and gave me the sack! Actually, I think that galvanized me and I was determined to finish it. I did, but it took a while: I was working freelance, and then pregnant with my first child so it wasn't at the forefront of my mind. When my son was born I discovered babies slept for great chunks of the day, so I revisited it, tapping it onto a computer my brother gave me. (The first draft was in long hand, I'm a complete Luddite by nature, and actually, still write my first draft into note books.) My husband persuaded me to send it to an agent who took it - amazingly and then a few weeks later I had a publisher too. The Old Girl Network came out about a year later and the first time I saw it in a shop, I was so startled I ran out again! I'm convinced it was easier back then to get published, these days it's far more competitive because there are so many girls doing it I'm glad I started early! I've written a few more since then, but some things don't change: I still get a thrill when I see them around. I hope you enjoy the books, I certainly have a lot of fun writing them.' ​