Described by Bernardine Evaristo as ‘engrossing and original, political and unpredictable’, ‘The Silence Project’ by Carole Hailey is a powerful debut novel that explores a complex mother-daughter relationship. What is it like to be the daughter of a woman who started a cult that changed the world?

Griffin Books are delighted to be hosting the Wales launch event for Carole’s gripping debut novel. Don’t miss out, tickets are strictly limited.

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On Emilia Morris’s thirteenth birthday, her mother Rachel moves into a tent at the bottom of their garden. From that day on, she never says another word. Inspired by her vow of silence, other women join her and together they build the Community. Eight years later, Rachel and thousands of her followers around the world burn themselves to death. In the aftermath of what comes to be known as the Event, the Community’s global influence quickly grows. As a result, the whole world has an opinion about Rachel – whether they see her as a callous monster or a heroic martyr – but Emilia has never voiced hers publicly. Until now.

When she publishes her own account of her mother’s life in a memoir called The Silence Project, Emilia also decides to reveal just how sinister the Community has become. In the process, she steps out of Rachel’s shadow once and for all, so that her own voice may finally be heard.

Carole Hailey completed the six-month Guardian/UEA novel writing course taught by Bernardine Evaristo, who imbued Carole with such a love for writing fiction that she abandoned her career in law to undertake an MA in Creative Writing at Goldsmiths, followed by a PhD in Creative Writing at Swansea University. Carole was a London Library Emerging Writer 2020/21. ‘The Silence Project’ is her first published novel and was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize Peggy Chapman-Andrews First Novel Award 2020 and highly commended by the judges. She lives in Wales with her husband and two rescue dogs.

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Thursday 16 February
7.30 pm (doors open 7.00 pm)
All Saints Lesser Hall, Victoria Square, Penarth
Tickets: £18.00 including a signed hardback copy of The Silence Project / £8.00 event only / £5.00 Student Ticket