The Cactus

Sarah Haywood

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People aren’t sure what to make of Susan Green.

Family and colleagues find her prickly and hard to understand – but Susan makes perfect sense to herself.

Age 45, she thinks her life is perfect. She has a London flat which is ideal for one; a steady job that suits her passion for logic; and a personal arrangement providing cultural and other, more intimate, benefits.

Yet suddenly faced with the loss of her mother and, implausibly, with the possibility of becoming a mother herself, Susan’s greatest fear is being realised: she is losing control. And things can only get worse … at least in Susan’s eyes. This sparkling debut is a breath of fresh air with real heart and a powerful emotional punch.

In Susan we find a character as exasperating and delightful as The Rosie Project’s Don Tillman.

An uncompromising feminist and a fierce fighter, it’s a joy to watch her bloom.