Me Without Maisie

Bestselling author Helen Rutter masterfully captures the tangled dynamics of all-consuming friendship in this brilliantly candid and empathetic coming-of-age tale.

Ever since the first day of secondary school, Poppy and Maisie have been inseparable: between late-night phone calls and regular sleepovers, their friendship has become the most important thing in their lives. While Maisie is loud and daring, Poppy is quieter, happiest fading into the background.

But Maisie’s idea of fun — getting the bus to the notorious Tickton estate, hanging out with a gang of boys and daring Poppy to steal sweets from the corner shop — starts to make Poppy feel uncomfortable. When a teacher encourages her newfound passion for writing, Poppy finds herself wondering who she’d be outside of Maisie’s orbit.