Celeste

by Colette Snowden

When Celeste stops to take a stone out of her shoe one night, she's just moments from home.
Her mother drinks tea the next morning, assuming Celeste is asleep upstairs. But Celeste didn't make it home.
Over the course of 24 hours, an urban noir unfolds through the eyes of all those involved as we discover what might have happened to Celeste and how they are all connected to her story.
While panic takes hold, Celeste needs help. But will anyone find her?

258 pages, Paperback

Published September 25, 2025

About the author

A writer since I was old enough to talk, I have dabbled with performance poetry and short stories before setting to work on my first novel, The Secret to Not Drowning.

My short story, 'Blue' was featured on radio 4 in 2002 and I then stopped writing for several years, focusing on raising my children.

I continued to write for a day job during this time, with feature articles and news stories for trade and technical magazines.

I am now working on a second novel - no title yet and, as with The Secret to Not Drowning, a writing process that involves finding out how it's all going to come together as I'm writing it!

Reviews

[Sophie Houston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent and memorable!

[Julia Edgar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is another beautiful observation of character: a skill Colette Snowden absolutely excels in. Each of the characters in Celeste’s story has their own voice, depth and truth. You care about them all - even the ones you don’t particularly want to like. The central story of trying to find the disappeared Celeste is compelling and absorbing. The best comparison would be, for me, it feels like the literary version of a Sally Wainwright drama. It has a resonance of northern humour in the darkest moments, beautifully constructed and precise plotting and people who feel real and walk around in your head after you’ve stopped reading. I implore you to read it.