Sunday Times Top 5 bestselling author Harriet Evans returns with an unputdownable tale of the infinite possibilities of families - how they can anchor you or unseat you - and why unconditional love holds the key to true freedom.

'A boldly sombre atmosphere haunts the latest novel by Harriet Evans, the doyenne of [commercial fiction]' Observer

'Immersive, engrossing and ultimately beautiful' Marian Keyes

'No one except Harriet Evans writes books like this anymore; The Stargazers is a work of genius and a future classic' Jane Casey

'Don't you think there should be a name for people like us?' he said. 'Who look up and who dream of more, who dream of escaping? Who never lose faith, no matter how hard it becomes?'

'Stargazers,' I said. 'That's what we are'

It's the 1970s, and Sarah has spent a lifetime trying to bury memories of her childhood: the constant fear, the horror of her school days, and Fane, the vast, crumbling house that was the sole obsession of her mother, Iris, a woman as beautiful as she was cruel. Sarah's solace has been her cello and the music that allowed her to dream, transporting her from the bleakness of those early years to her new life with her husband Daniel in their safe, if slightly chaotic, Hampstead home and with a concert career that has brought her fame and restored a sense of self.

The past, though, has a habit of creeping into the present, and as long as Sarah tries to escape, it seems the pull of her mother, Fane Hall and the secrets hidden there cannot be suppressed, threatening to unravel the fragile happiness she enjoys now. Sarah will need to travel back to Fane to confront her childhood, and search for the true meaning of home.

Deliciously absorbing and rich with character and atmosphere, The Stargazers is the story of a house, a family, and finding the strength inside yourself to carry on.

Readers love The Stargazers:

'I absolutely loved this book . . . it was both beautiful and melancholy. Harriet never disappoints' ? ? ? ? ?

'The Stargazers might just be her best yet . . . a beautifully written, atmospheric page-turner full of unforgettable characters, a book that will stay with you. Highly recommended' ? ? ? ? ?

'This is a beautiful and absorbing tale - one that I couldn't put down until the last page' ? ? ? ? ?

'A stunningly good read from an author who never disap