In Search of a Father’s Footsteps, a collection of real-life case studies, introduces us to seven people who seem to be completely different, but share one thing in common: all of them have grown up without a father present. Whether consciously or unconsciously, each one searches to fill the void this has left in their lives. Nine-year-old Lilly, for one, can’t hide her feelings. Instead, she becomes obsessed with finding a husband for her mother - and a father for herself.

Meanwhile, others can’t relate to or understand men, who are either idealised or demonised by how the protagonists imagine these unfamiliar figures to be. Some even look for their fathers in real life or in their partners and lovers, leading to disappointment when they’re unable to find the person for whom they truly yearn. But all is not lost for the people we meet in In Search of a Father’s Footsteps: they eventually feel closure through therapy.

Note: Cover design by Kitty Turner.