Part of the Spell

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Tacita is pretending to ignore her husband’s affair. Stella can’t imagine wanting any more than she has. Theresa is determined to stay so busy, she won’t have time to feel guilty. Zeki hopes no-one will find out what he’s up to. Jonathan imagined the family running through the woods in their wellies – not the solitary bottles of whisky on the commuter train. And Sheila, a widower, mother and grandmother has disappeared. ‘If only people were more honest about themselves and the people around them.’ In a small English town, everyone is struggling to be the person they think they should be: casting spells, making justifications, willingly deluded. But sometimes the pressure of being the perfect - or not perfect, just good - wife, husband, lover, mother or daughter, is overwhelming. Everyone needs to find an outlet. Sometimes it’s easier to be honest with strangers.

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Rachel Heath was born in Bristol in 1968. She lives with her husband, three children and a dog, in Bath.