Conversations with an Octopus by Rebecca Smith

Conversations with an Octopus by Rebecca Smith

'Mysterious deaths, an intuitive octopus, and colourful characters in a Devonshire seaside town, make this an unmissable read' Tamar Hodes

'Utterly addictive from the first page' Jonathan Whitelaw

Diana Parks is a beautician with a temper, and she's not the only member of Ottersea WI who's had enough of bullies and slimeballs. When the body of lecherous landlord, Raj Sumal, washes up on the beach, it's up to Detectives Jim Paddon and Grace Brown to solve the mystery. They start to suspect Raj's wife, Sukhi, who likes walking on the cliffs.

Meanwhile, at Ottersea Oceanworld, Jane the Octopus hears people's secrets and understands everything during a sweltering summer of strange deaths, new friendships, and a whole lot of ice cream.

'A perfect summer read' Christie Hickman
'Whimsical and amusing' Faith Martin
'Wickedly subversive, sneakily funny, and then surprisingly moving' Carole Burns
'As deliciously satisfying as a 99 cone, this is your new favourite summer read' M.H. Eccleston
'A brilliantly witty mash-up of modern manners, seaside farce and a little casual murder' Philip Hoare

Rebecca Smith is Jane Austen's great-great-great-great-great niece and the author of Miss Jane Austen's Guide to Modern Life's Dilemmas, a nonfiction guide that is being issued in the United States and the United Kingdom at the same time. Bloomsbury UK published three of her novels: The Bluebird Café (2001), Happy Birthday and All That (2003), and A Piece of Earth (2006). Smith is a Teaching Fellow in English and Creative Writing at the University of Southampton, where he studied history. She was the Writer in Residence at Jane Austen's Home Museum in Chawton, Hampshire, from fall 2009 to summer 2010, and she continues to collaborate with the museum. Shadow Eyes, her debut children's book, was a finalist for The Kelpies Award in 2012. She's now working on a second book.