Child X [Hardcover]

This strong novel is impossible to put down. An impressive debut that explores relationships with confidence, pace and style.

Juliette is passionate about acting and has been given the chance to star as the lead role in the play, Northern Lights. But at home, her life is not so happy. Her family starts to disintegrate after her father suddenly and unexpectedly leaves home. What terrible secret is her mother hiding? This is a moving and powerful story of one girl's search for her own identity, deftly contrasted with the glamour and excitement of the theatre.

I thrust the photo at him. "You forgot this. I knew you'd want to have it, so I brought it with me-"

Dad looked down at the photo and almost shuddered, like it was a photo of a hideous tarantula, and not just me, Jules, shrieking with laughter with my hair blowing everywhere...

Jules is OK. Life is going on as usual. She's passing notes to her best friend, Marty, in boring lessons at school. Ignoring the repulsive Adrian Benton. And maybe things are looking up - she's about to audition for the main part in the play of Northern Lights.

But then her world explodes. Her perfectly lovely dad suddenly leaves home and doesn't want to talk to her any more. And strange photographers start leaping out from behind bushes and taking her photo. And everyone knows who she is.

EXCEPT HER.

This is a stunning debut from a fine novelist - a gripping and moving tale of a family torn apart and the power of the press.

Lee Weatherly is a talented new author. Her second novel with David Fickling Books will be published in 2003.