Writing
Writing
My debut novel, Things Don’t Break on their Own will be released in 2024.
She could be anyone. She could be you.
Nobody ever found out what happened to Laika Martenwood, the girl who vanished without a trace on her way to school one morning. But for her sister Willa, life shattered into tiny pieces that day, and she has never been able to put them back together again.
Willa sees Laika everywhere: on buses, at parties, in busy streets. It’s been twenty-five years, and the only thing that has kept her going is her belief that her sister is alive, somewhere.
But when a dinner party conversation about childhood memories spirals out of control, a shattering revelation from one of the guests forces Willa to rethink everything she thought she knew about her past. And, out of the debris of that explosive evening, the truth of what really happened begins to emerge. Piece by piece.
Things Don't Break on their Own, UK cover
Things Don't Break on their Own, German cover
Things Don't Break on their Own, US cover
Things Don’t Break On Their Own is being published by Viking in the UK and Crown in the US, imprints of Penguin Random House. You can preorder in the UK here and in the US here.
It is also being translated into Dutch,(Uitgeverij Ambo-Anthos) German (Heyne Verlag) Hebrew (Kinneret Zmora Bitan) and Swedish (Louise Bäckelin Förlag).
I am represented by Felicity Blunt at Curtis Brown.
Reviews
“This is the one: the next must-read, must-recommend, must-discuss, must-re-read novel. A miraculous literary thriller, shocking, daring, moving, haunting, infinitely rewarding— as though Kate Atkinson and Ruth Rendell had joined forces. This, I hope, is the future of suspense writing.”
“A captivating, haunting, and twisty story that explores the nature of loss and trauma, and the tricks that our memories play on us. A terrific debut from a promising talent.”
“Cleverly crafted and deeply moving, this beautiful book is a genuine page-turner. It was original, it was gripping, it was shocking, and I loved it.”
“So so so good. A bruising, brilliant and beautiful mystery. An elegant, twisting story of loss and longing, of the ache of the unknown and the drowning weight of past trauma. A very special debut.”
“I couldn’t stop reading until it was finished. An enthralling mystery about the enduring love between sisters and the power of female friendship . . .
Unmissable. Brava Sarah Easter Collins.”
‘I loved it. A clever thriller told through the lens of memory, and within that multiple recollections of a dinner party gone wrong. Collins asks the reader what we choose to hold in our minds, and what we might forget, too. It deserves to be huge.’
“Family secrets, female friendships and a finely crafted plot … A compelling read”
“Poignant, engrossing novel filled with characters I can’t stop thinking about. Things Don’t Break on Their Own is not just an absorbing mystery, but a heartfelt exploration of memory and family. I enjoyed it so much I didn’t want it to end!”
“Everyone will be amazed at this stunning debut. A book that captivates heart and mind, it is powerful, thought-provoking, terrifying and exquisitely written. I loved every page.”
‘A beautifully-wrought story of shattered lives and the bond of true love that mends them. About light and dark; love and not hate, but something more damaging: fear. Exquisite, poetic, intricate and page-turning. Sarah is a ferocious new talent. Simply stunning.’