A Strange Kind of Brave - Softcover

What doesn't kill you makes you ... stronger? A poignant and gripping story about the power of fear, the resilience of love and the magic of food - from bestselling Waterstones Children's Book Prize shortlisted author Sarah Moore Fitzgerald.

"Gripping, with an incredible twist that you simply won't see coming" - Louise O'Neill

"This tale of friendship, betrayal, love, loss, revenge and obsession, written by a master storyteller, is quite literally unputdownable" - Donal Ryan, Booker Prize shortlisted author

"I thought I had my top ten favourite novels decided, but now I think it will need some reworking, because A Strange Kind of Brave definitely deserves a place" - Sadb, aged 16

Jake McCormack is the villain of Clanfedden. He's just killed a boy - deliberately run him over with his truck, on the bridge, in front of everyone. And he knows he'll get away with it.

Luca, 14, is the new boy in town. He's looking for a fresh start after a terrible thing that happened at his old school. Clanfedden is a small forgotten town, but Luca and his mum are going to give it a go. They're opening an exciting restaurant, and Allie Redmond is coming to work there. Allie is honest and kind and Luca knows they're going to be friends.

Allie has lived in Clanfedden all her life and these should be happy days - Luca is the best thing to have happened in years. But she's haunted by shadows of her own, and more than anyone she knows the danger of Jake McCormack. She needs to warn Luca. She needs to prevent disaster. At least she needs to try...

Sarah Moore Fitzgerald was born in New York in 1965 but grew up in Co. Dublin. She's a professor of Creative Writing at the University of Limerick. She runs regular writers' retreats for academics and students in Ireland and internationally.

Follow her on Twitter @SMooreFitz