***Shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award 2018***

EVERY MOTHER IS A WOMAN WITH A PAST

'An intriguing tale of love and loss . . . written with verve and delivers an amazing twist' Sunday Mirror
'A haunting debut about grief, loss and motherhood' The Pool
'This novel pulls you in and will have you racing to reach the end' Good Housekeeping

When Katharine is found dead at the foot of her stairs, it is the mystery of her life that consumes her daughter, Laura. The medical examiner's report, in which precious parts of Katharine's body are weighed and categorised, motivates Laura to write her own version of events. But as she delves deeper into Katharine's past, she is forced to confront a new version of the woman she knew only as her mother. A woman silenced by her own mother and wronged by her husband. A woman who lived in the shadows but whose secrets are now coming to light.

*** Includes an extract from Elisa Lodato's second novel The Necessary Marriage.***

'An incredibly moving story of maternal love, sacrifice, and how little we know those closest to us' Chloë Mayer, author of The Boy Made of Snow
'Extraordinarily sensuous storytelling that makes the reader's heart ache in sympathy' Observer
'Spare, confident and affecting. A compelling read' Joanna Barnard, author of Precocious

"An intriguing tale of love, loss and missed opportunities . . . although infused with sadness, it is written with verve and delivers an amazing twist" - SUNDAY MIRROR

"Tender and moving, this part-thriller, part-memoir will leave you floored" - EMERALD STREET

"A haunting debut about grief, loss and motherhood - and a woman's identity beyond that role" - THE POOL

"This novel pulls you in and will have you racing to reach the end" - GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

"Extraordinarily sensuous storytelling that makes the reader's heart ache in sympathy" - OBSERVER

"A sensitive examination of a life frustrated by mores and circumstance" - DAILY MAIL

"An Unremarkable Body is infused with sadness but avoids being morbid or cloying. It is written with verve, pace and sensitivity. A fabulous debut that also delivers an amazing twist as a final flourish" - THE PEOPLE

"An uplifting story" - GRAZIA

"Pleasingly distinct . . . the structuring of the chapters by means of an introductory extract from the autopsy report is a rather ingenious one . . . . this organizational quirkiness sets Lodato's work apart from the start . . . a novel that shows notable promise . . . . I'm already intrigued to see what Lodato writes next " - INDEPENDENT