Out of the Picture (signed first edition)

Quite unlike her fair stepsisters, Lizzie is dark and "Just like your father," says her mother—but what was her father like? Photos of him are hidden away; snatches of overheard conversation between her mother and her stepfather deepen the mystery. When events propel Lizzie alone to London, she stops wondering and starts searching. Beautifully evoking the ache of childhood loss, the scrappy joys of chaotic families, and the hurt and relief of understanding, Out of the Picture reveals Polly Samson's talent for laying bare the uncomfortable truths that lie just under the skin— in every family, in every secret.

Polly Samson has worked in publishing and as a journalist. This is her first novel. She is married with three young sons.