OUT NOW: The Girl in the Maze is an enthralling story of three women, generations apart, linked by one terrible tragedy. It explores the complex relationship and challenges involved in both mothering and being mothered.
Praise for The Girl in the Maze
'An elegantly written, totally gripping story ... I was swept away by it.' Katy Regan, author of The Story of You
'Packed with mystery and intrigue and peopled with such real, flawed characters I felt like they might walk off the page.' Laura Pearson, author of I Wanted You To Know
I was inspired to writeThe Girl in the Maze came when I was clearing out my late mother’s house in 2016. I didn’t discover anything which helped to explain our difficult relationship (and the one that she’d had with her own mother) although I wish I had. But writing the story was a form of therapy in itself. I’ve always been fascinated by books about family secrets and intrigue. Read more about the inspiration behind The Girl in the Maze and my journey to publication in my blog.
DUE TO BE PUBLISHED JUNE 2024: The Brighton House is a heart-wrenching story with a mystery at its heart
A lifetime apart. A lifetime of secrets. Sometimes you might not want the truth.
Brighton, 1974: Grace Bennet is expecting her first child. She's positive the baby will be a girl, and she's wrapped up in the excitement of readying the nursery and shopping for tiny clothes. Surrounded by her husband, Mal, and her best friend, Susie, Grace can't think of a happier time, but, as her pregnancy progresses, complications begin to arise, and Grace's life as she knows it begins to shift.
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Now: Jackie Shaw is looking forward to motherhood after rounds and rounds of IVF. She and her husband Alex are still feeling a little shocked, and the only surprise they want now is to find out if the baby is a girl or a boy. But when her father, Mal, and step-mum bring along Jackie's old baby things, she finds a photo of Mal and birth mother, Grace, holding her as a newborn outside the Brighton house. The problem is... Jackie was told her mother died in childbirth.
Reeling from this shocking discovery, Jackie needs to find out the truth. Why would Mal lie to her? Why did he move her so far away from Brighton? And why won't he talk to her now? With her questions stonewalled by her father, Jackie is terrified of what his silence means. But desperate to know what really happened to Grace, Jackie delves into the past to uncover this long-buried secret that will change her life.
This captivating story of two women, trying to find their places as mothers, wives, and women, linked by a devastating secret is perfect for fans of Joanna Glen, Eve Chase, and Kate Morton.
CURRENTLY WRITING (AND DUE TO BE PUBLISHED MAY 2025): I'm researching and writing a third novel about four sisters who are brought together after their mother dies Set in 1980s Sussex and the present day, it explores the dynamic between mothers and teenage daughters, ADHD, animal rights activism and family secrets.
I'll share more soon.
Copyright © 2023 Cathy Hayward writer - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy
If you're choosing to read The Girl in the Maze in your book club, I'm more than happy to visit your book club in person in the UK, or join virtually if overseas. Contact me to discuss dates. Or check out my discussion questions about The Girl in the Maze here