Hold Back the Night

'ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE' KATE SAWYER 'WILL GET UNDER YOUR SKIN AND LODGEITSELF IN YOUR HEART' ERIN KELLY 'HEARTBREAKING AND LIFE-AFFIRMING' LOUISEHARE 'POWERFUL, TIMELY, IMPORTANT' BETH UNDERDOWN "BEAUTIFUL, COMPLEX ANDMOVING' PLATINUM MAGAZINE 'POWERFUL AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING' RED 'I URGEEVERYONE TO READ THIS NOVEL' ERICKA WALLER 'THESE CHARACTERS WILL WRAP AROUNDYOUR HEART' ARAMINTA HALL From the Observer debut novelist of the year, comesa blistering, heart-wrenching new novel of complicity and atonement, delvinginto one nurse's experience of the little-known history of conversion therapyand the heart-breaking betrayal of the AIDS crisis. March 2020. Annie is alonein her house as the world shuts down, only the ghosts of her memories forcompany. But then she receives a phone call which plunges her deeper into thepast. 1959. Annie and Rita are student nurses at Fairlie Hall mental hospital. Working long, gruelling hours, they soon learn that the only way to appeasetheir terrifying matron is to follow the rules unthinkingly. But what ishappening in the hospital's hidden side wards? And at what point doesfollowing the rules turn into complicity - and betrayal? 1983. Annie isreeling from the loss of her husband and struggling to face raising herdaughter alone. Following a chance encounter, she offers a sick young man abed for the night, a good deed that soon leads to another. Before long, shefinds herself entering a new life of service - her home a haven for those whoare cruelly shunned. But can we ever really atone? The powerful andcaptivating new novel from the celebrated author of KEEPER and YOUNG WOMEN,HOLD BACK THE NIGHT is Jessica Moor's most powerful and commercial book todate. A darkly compelling character-led novel, drawing on themes of complicityand betrayal, it is bursting with talking points and absolutely perfect forreading groups. Praise for HOLD BACK THE NIGHT and Jessica Moor: 'The literarysensation . . . heart-breaking' My Weekly 'Absolutely incredible. Intricate,heart-breaking, with perfect prose and characterisation. This is an authorstepping into her power and it is a privilege to behold' Kate Sawyer, Costashortlisted author of The Stranding and This Family 'Beautifully written andauthentic, this novel shines an unflinching light on the darkest episodes ofrecent medical history. Hold Back The Night will get under your skin and lodgeitself in your heart' Erin Kelly 'Powerful, at times gut-wrenching' PeterTatchell 'Heart-breaking and life-affirming in equal measure. Dealing with thehorrors of conversion therapy in the 1950s and the AIDS crisis in the 1980s,this is a story of redemption and hope as much as it is grief and shame. Iabsolutely loved it' Louise Hare 'Jessica Moor is a new young writer I believein' Jeanette Winterson 'Heartbreaking and beautifully written' Heather Darwent'A shocking, vital story that will never let you go. I urge everyone to readthis novel. Jessica does not flinch away from the themes in this book, butwrites with purposeful intent. She does not linger on the suffering, butshines a light on hope. An outstanding achievement' Ericka Waller 'Hold backthe Night is a book about fear and power, the stories we tell ourselves andthe people we hope to be. Beautiful and lyrical, these characters will wraparound your heart. I loved it' Araminta Hall