The Key

The most gripping, heartbreaking novel of World War Two historical fiction from the global bestselling author of The Memory Box

By: Kathryn Hughes

Narrated by: Joanne Froggatt

'Riveting' Lesley Pearse on The Letter. 'Gripping' Good Housekeeping on The Secret.

From Kathryn Hughes, the #1 bestselling author of The Letter and The Secret, comes a powerful, shocking, heartbreaking story set to get everyone talking in spring 2018.

1956
It's Ellen Crosby's first day at work as a student nurse at Fairhaven County Lunatic Asylum. When she meets Amy Sullivan, a young woman committed for allegedly attempting to drown herself and her stepsister, and Dr Stephen Lambourn, a pioneering physician keen to try out the various 'cures' available for mental illness, little does Ellen know that a choice she will make is to change all their lives irrevocably...

Present day
Under the cover of darkness, a young woman, Kate, picks her way through the brambles to the abandoned Fairhaven Asylum. A vast building with over six miles of corridors, the asylum still houses the metal-framed beds, rusty instruments and infamous padded cells used before it closed its doors for the last time. In an old wardrobe, Kate discovers a suitcase belonging to a female patient who was admitted to the asylum in 1956. The shocking contents of the suitcase lead Kate to unravel a forgotten story of tragedy, lost love and an old wrong that only Kate may have the power to put right.©2018 Kathryn Hughes

Critic reviews

A heartbreakingly powerful read

Praise for Kathryn Hughes' international bestsellers

Autumnal Sunday afternoons were invented solely to read heart-tugging novels like this

This moving love story had everyone talking . . . Get set to be hooked

A beautiful story . . . I didn't want to put it down

You will find it hard to put down. I cried buckets of tears reading it

A wonderful, uplifting story (Lesley Pearse)

Beautifully written and incredibly poignant. You cannot fail to fall for this story . . . I am delighted to highly recommend

The story kept me gripped . . . A breath of fresh air, and just what I needed after a long day in the office

An emotional and intriguing read . . . Keeps you guessing right to the end

Gripping

Heart-warming and optimistic

A gripping and moving family drama that will tug at the reader's heart

Pulled me in right from the first page . . . I really enjoyed this book

I so thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was filled with all kinds of mystery, family secrets, [and] characters that really stood out

One that you just HAVE to finish

A wonderful and memorable read that will stay with me for a long time

Excellent.

I was completely enraptured by this book. I typically enjoy the multiple character perspective books, but this was great because the author stuck with one longer than just a chapter. When reading I don't find the rapid switch as difficult, but for audio I do- the author wrote this perfectly for an audio book. The story was amazing overall and I definitely recommend. Separately, I usually don't like Bristish narrators, but for some reason I really enjoyed this one.

Truly amazing

As with her other suspenseful romantic novels, this one is unsurpassable. It journeys the heart from beginning to end with unexpected fulfilling summary. Thank You.

Wonderful storytelling

This is my most favorite kind of books! A story that holds your interest from the beginning! Sara's need and desire to research an old insane asylum, brings to light the stories of horror and kindness. Worth a credit!!

The Key

The Key
To do this is the time when so many things were planned not to help so many who would be struggling with mental illnesses. The time of this story is when so many things were going to happened to everyone. Some of this took time when so many things were set aside in the mental hospital. The care that was going on to the health of the patients. Who were suffering from some type of mental disorder. There was Amy who was there with her problems, and no one would believe her.
This story was telling in difference parts of the story when there were some things were going on with. Traditional time people were there for finding difficult things to help patients. Who was left asIde with mental abuse and what was going on with them.
The Doctor he himself, now was finding himself with some perspective things, he had to leave hospital. Now latter without his daughter; she would help in finding things from information, informative information about what there. Also who was a homeless boy and the baby that was born in the mental hospital.

Wonderful story. of a woman who had a big part of her life stolen from her because she was grieving.

I liked how not all of her problems were solved but she came to. terms with and valued her life and child without achieving a traditional mother's role and relationship with the man who betrayed her and her child.