Cathy
is riding high in her brand-new job at a (surprisingly bitchy) top London
advertising agency working with best friend Rosa. But when Rosa’s pregnancy goes
amiss and enemies sabotage her new career, she finds herself leading a chaotic
double life of lies and deception, hiding a shameful secret from all, especially
husband Declan who appears in the throes of a nervous breakdown. Meanwhile
she’s agreed to unmask the notorious Crouch End Creeper, a burglar terrorizing
their neighbourhood. Little does she know that her meddling, assisted by fellow
mothers (the Wednesday Once Weeklies) and the Neighbourhood Watch, will lead
their dangerous opponent to murder. And that it's not only the tall
elegant transvestite who is placing herself at risk...
Excerpt
‘It
must have been horrendously
frightening, Cathy,’ Holly Willoughby’s sparkling white teeth are shining
directly into my eyes causing me to spontaneously blink, ‘finding yourself
stalked and then almost strangled to
death.’
‘Oh
yes,’ I nod and refill my water glass. ‘Terrifying.’
Although,
I squirm as three huge cameras circle closer like a cackle of hyenas moving in
for the kill, nowhere near as terrifying as being on live TV. All through the interview I
keep getting these uncanny impulses to indulge in a touch of Tourette’s,
spouting obscenities while intermittently flashing a nipple.
‘And
then not only did you capture the culprit but you managed to turn the situation
round and through it launched the most talked about advertising campaign this
decade.’
‘Not
just me...’ I grin bashfully as Camera One’s red light gives a little wink in my
direction.
‘So
as a woman who’s spent the last eight years as a mother and housewife,’ Holly
continues brightly, ‘how are you finding it being back out in the
workplace?’
How
am I finding it? Fantastic. Sodding-bloody-fantastic, I want to reply but for
some reason, ever since the camera did that little wink, my throat simply
refuses to co-operate.
‘It’s
a...a...’ I cough and reach for the water, ‘case of...’
‘And
balancing this brand new exciting career with taking care of two primary-school
age children?’ prompts her co-presenter nicely. ‘You must be very organised...’
‘Well,
Joseph... I mean Jason... I mean...’
And
that’s it. My mouth freezes while I rifle through my memory bank trying to
recall his name. Jason or Joseph... But no, it can’t be either. Joseph was the
biblical character that this guy portrayed at a West End theatre and Jason...he
was the ex-Neighbours actor who also
played Joseph as well as dating Kylie Minogue and picking David Guest’s nose on
some reality show. So this guy, the one sitting in front of me, all mike-ed up,
awaiting an answer while millions look on... God, who is he? Sweat pools under
the armpits of my new Vivienne Westwood polka-dot dress with the waist-cinching
corset as I scan and rescan his grey speckled hair and cute baby face. ‘The
thing is...’
A
reassuring hand rests on my arm. For the fifth time this morning, Rosa steps in
to save me.
‘Oh
she is, Phillip,’ she laughs lightly. ‘Super-organised, that’s our Cath. Packed
lunches prepared night before. Uniforms folded neatly on chairs. Dishwasher and
washing machine fully loaded. Plants watered. Fish fed. Wonderwoman has nothing
on her.’
She
slaps me on the back, just as I take another gulp of water. Instead of drowning
the giant South American toad now living in my larynx, a fountain shoots out
from my mouth and nose.
Holly
smiles once more as she smoothly links back to the weather, before the cameras
wheel away, allowing her to dab at her water-spotted jacket and mercifully
ending the second most scary moment of my entire life.
About the
Authors
Ellie
Campbell is a pseudonym for sisters, Pam Burks and Lorraine Campbell who
collaborate across the mighty Atlantic from their respective homes in Surrey,
England and Colorado, USA, finding writing together a great excuse for endless
phone conversations. Together
they have written three previous novels How To Survive Your Sisters, When Good
Friends Go Bad and Looking For La
La. They love any chance
to connect with their readers.
Ellie Campbell is represented by the Hardman & Swainson Literary Agency (www.hardmanswainson.com). For further information and to get in contact with them please visit their website: www.chicklitsisters.com.
Author
Links
Twitter:
@ecampbellbooks
Check out Looking for La
La
In a recent survey 65% of mothers admitted feeling undervalued,
over-criticised and constantly tired.
Cathy is no exception. Her dull, uneventful days as a stay at home, mother of two, are radically transformed however with the arrival of a heavily lipsticked postcard addressed to husband, Declan. Who is the mysterious La La? Could Declan really be having an affair? And is Cathy actually being stalked?
Whatever – it will definitely prove riveting gossip for the Tuesday Twice Monthlies, Cathy’s 'Mothers Restaurant Research’ group where scandal flows as recklessly as the wine. But what starts as a light-hearted investigation with best friend Raz, soon turns into something much more sinister.
With a possible murderer on the scene, a sexy admirer igniting long-forgotten sparks, and all her friends hiding secrets, it’s not only Cathy’s marriage that’s in jeopardy. Add in the scheming antics of Declan’s new assistant, the stress of organising the school Save The Toilet’s dance and the stage is set for a dangerous showdown and some very unsettling, possibly deadly, revelations.
Cathy is no exception. Her dull, uneventful days as a stay at home, mother of two, are radically transformed however with the arrival of a heavily lipsticked postcard addressed to husband, Declan. Who is the mysterious La La? Could Declan really be having an affair? And is Cathy actually being stalked?
Whatever – it will definitely prove riveting gossip for the Tuesday Twice Monthlies, Cathy’s 'Mothers Restaurant Research’ group where scandal flows as recklessly as the wine. But what starts as a light-hearted investigation with best friend Raz, soon turns into something much more sinister.
With a possible murderer on the scene, a sexy admirer igniting long-forgotten sparks, and all her friends hiding secrets, it’s not only Cathy’s marriage that’s in jeopardy. Add in the scheming antics of Declan’s new assistant, the stress of organising the school Save The Toilet’s dance and the stage is set for a dangerous showdown and some very unsettling, possibly deadly, revelations.
Looking for la La discounted
to 99cents/99pence from Monday 24th to 30th
March
How to Survive Yours Sisters
will be free Wednesday, 26th to 30th March - US
only
GIVEAWAY
Ellie Campbell is generously offering a giveaway of a
paperback copy of To Catch a Creeper
PLUS £5/$10 Amazon Gift Card. This
giveaway is open Internationally.
To enter, click on the Rafflecopter
link below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
If this new book is as good as 'Looking for La La' - we'll be in for a treat
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for featuring Creeper. And thanks Julie for your kind comments. :) Thrilled
ReplyDelete