The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes

'Warm and wise' – Guardian

'A book to really love ... makes reading a joy' – Stylist

'Will soften even the hardest of hearts' – Red

'Subtle and poignant' – Good Housekeeping

'Plenty of spirit and heart' – Daily Mail

'An adorable heartfelt story.' – Prima

Masha's life has stopped. Once a spirited, independent woman with a rebellious streak, her life has been forever changed by a tragic event twelve years ago. Unable to let go of her grief, she finds solace in the silent company of the souls of her local Victorian cemetery and at the town's lido, where she seeks refuge underwater—safe from the noise and the pain.

But a chance encounter with two extraordinary women—the fabulous and wise Kitty Muriel, a convent girl-turned-magician's wife-turned-seventy-something-roller-disco-fanatic, and the mysterious Sally Red Shoes, a bag lady with a prodigious voice—opens up a new world of possibilities, and the chance to start living again. But just as Masha dares to imagine the future, the past comes roaring back...

Like her bestselling debut, The Keeper of Lost Things, Ruth Hogan's second novel introduces a cast of wonderful characters, both ordinary and charmingly eccentric, who guide us through a moving exploration of the simple human connections that make life worth living.

Winner of the Richard & Judy Readers' Award 2017

'A gem' – Huffington Post

'Exquisite' – The Lady

'Delightful' – Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand