Laura Clark Is Away from Her Desk: The relatable and and hilarious novel for any woman who feels fed up. . ."I loved it" MARIAN KEYES

by Helen Russell

'SO witty, so entertaining, yet so moving. Countless women will identify with Laura Clark. I loved it so much!' MARIAN KEYES

'Brilliantly entertaining . . . surprisingly moving 'JENNIE GODFREY

'Riotously funny' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

'If you're a woman with only so many f*cks left to give, this book is for you' CALLY BEATON

'A book with a big, generous heart' BOBBY PALMER



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WHO IS LAURA CLARK?

To her an invisible forty-something HR manager who restocks the meeting-room snacks.

To her husband and teenage the woman who puts food in the fridge and dinner on the table.

To her elderly a round-the-clock helpline for endless complaints.

Laura Clark is the woman everyone relies on. But barely anyone sees.

So, one day, Laura puts on her 'out of office' message - and doesn't come back. And soon, everyone's formerly ordered lives quickly begin to descend into all-out chaos.

Where has Laura gone?
Has something terrible happened to her?
Or has she - unthinkably - decided to finally give her own life the finger?

To find out, the people in her life must realise that, maybe, they never really knew Laura Clark at all . . .

'An empowering story for any woman who's ever felt invisible - or is simply sick of everyone's s**t!'
FIONA GIBSON

'Intriguing, relatable and utterly fabulous! I was completely hooked from the very first page to the last'
HELGA JENSEN

'A wonderfully relatable book that had me laughing, empathising, commiserating and, ultimately, cheering for Laura'
SHEILA McCLURE

'As blissful as eating a Twix in the sunshine on the way home from work, this is a gloriously funny manifesto for why we should never take the Laura Clarks of this world for granted!'
JULIE MA

'Helen Russell's exquisite storytelling reveals the layers of Laura's life gently like the unfurling of a peony in summer . . . I loved every second of it'
JENNI BAYLISS

'Every woman needs to read this . . . 12/10 across the board'
RIA LINA

READERS LOVE LAURA

'Funny, wise and everything in between, I absolutely loved it' ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'So relatable and a little bit chaotic . . . can't recommend it enough'
⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'The ending was so satisfying' ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Helen Russell has hit it out of the park' ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Laugh-out-loud funny' ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Once I started reading, I couldn't stop' ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Humor, Audiobook

Audible Audio

Expected publication July 30, 2026

About the author

Helen Russell is a bestselling author, journalist, speaker and host. Formerly editor of marieclaire.co.uk turned Scandinavia correspondent for the Guardian, her first book, The Year of Living Danishly, became an international bestseller, optioned for television. She's the author of five critically acclaimed books, translated into 21 languages.

Helen writes for magazines and newspapers globally, including The Times and The Sunday Times, the Telegraph, the Independent, National Geographic, Wall Street Journal, the Observer, Metro, Grazia, Stylist and Stella. She’s spent the last ten years studying cultural approaches to emotions and now speaks about her work internationally.

Reviews

[Dori Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smart, funny (laugh out loud at times), relatable and so good. The characters are well written with vivid personalities. You can’t help but understand Laura. You’ll want to rage at the world but laugh while doing it.

And the Ian character really grows on you.

By the second half I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you Headline Books and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Chelsea Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laura Clark is Away From Her Desk, by Helen Russell, is the story of a middle aged woman who chooses herself after a lifetime of caring for others.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Laura’s coworker, her husband, her daughter, her best friend, and her doctor, we learn over the course of the story that Laura is the glue that holds the people around her together. She cares for others so well that they don’t even really notice, let alone appreciate, all she does for them.

Until, one day, Laura is suddenly gone, and those around her are left panicking and fumbling under the weight of daily life responsibilities they previously didn’t need to bear as they were all piled on Laura.

This story was sharp, funny, and surprisingly pleasant and lighthearted while also exploring the large mental, emotional, and physical load of caregiving that women often disproportionately carry. In many ways this story reminded me of Where’d You Go, Bernadette, although Laura is much nicer and much less rich.

Parts of me wish that those around Laura hadn’t been such extreme versions of inept/thoughtless/helpless humans…personally I would have been curious to see how inequitable divisions of labor play out in subtler situations—where those around you seem nice enough, so it’s hard to put a finger on why you feel so exhausted. Instead, those around Laura, especially her husband and employer, seem borderline cruel in how they treat her as someone who exists merely to make their life easier. Although perhaps what we learn about Laura’s relationship with her mother illustrates how Laura was conditioned to put up with this from the very beginning—after all, if as a child love equals bending to the whims of others and making yourself useful in order to stay in the family, that’s what you do. Some love is better than none, isn’t it? Until maybe it isn’t…

Overall, an enjoyable read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Wildfire (an imprint of Headline Books) for this digital ARC. Publication date July 30th, 2026!

[Sarah Harwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laura Clark is all things to all men. As a 40 something she is mum to her actual daughter, her husband, mother, her work colleagues, her neighbours and anyone else who has decided to take advantage of her, but today she is not responding. Not even reading her messages. Out of office on.
Laura is captivating by her absence, the lives of others around her crumbling because she is not there to sort it out for them. For most of the novel you only know about her through the reactions of others. She is described only as being shorter than her daughter and favouring oatmeal, meaning beige.
I thought this book would be funny but I found it dreadfully bleak in a compelling way. I think women in big jobs with way too many responsibilities will inevitably see themselves and feel the call of leaving it all behind and running away, if that is what Laura did.

I was absolutely captivated throughout and that was genuinely one of the best books I've ever read.
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review
5 stars is not enough stars

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 5 stars


A unique concept for me as the main character that the book focuses on isn’t actually present in the book/dialogue itself as such which was very intriguing.

Multiple view points between colleagues, family and friends which kept you on your toes, I did sometimes find this hard to keep up with but is pretty essential to the story.

I did struggle at times with the plot itself just as we spend quite a bit of time hearing a lot about people’s incompetence and inadequacies, some of this may have been able to be snipped out as it did feel a little drawn out at points.

The message of the book does shine through in that a lot of the things that people do go unnoticed until they are no longer there to do them and that essentially you don’t truly know what you have until it’s gone.

Overall an enjoyable read and a nice change of pace from some of the other books on the market.

Thank you NetGalley, Headline & Hatchette for my advanced copy

[Cadence Boudreaux · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was one of the arcs i was crossing my fingers and toes for and i feel that i was just completely not on the right track with the description versus actual plot ! Maybe that’s me not reading the description well enough. I like what it was trying to do, unfortunately i feel like we spent way tooooo much time on just how incapable all the people were . Like i didn’t need four hundred pages to get the point .

I liked the ending, i liked the message! I was just very very bored for majority of the book and quite frustrated with everyone .

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one just wasn't for me. I liked the idea of the book. The summary sounded so good but I just was never very interested.

The characters were unlikable and uninteresting to me. I felt like so many of the things they did were ridiculous.

I did like the ending and appreciated what the author was trying to show.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

[Melli · Rating 1 out of 5]

The formatting of this book made it difficult to read. I also did not enjoy the constantly shifting POV. A good idea really but poor execution.

[Dani M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laura is taken advantage of by everyone in her home life and work life, so one day she decides to turn on her Out of Office and not show up to work.

Her husband and teenage daughter soon crumble without her, as well as her office job colleagues, her best friend, her elderly mother and her needy neighbour.

This book was really funny and felt so relatable. Told from multiple POVs, not including the main character for most of the book, it makes you wonder how the people in your own life would cope without you.

The ending did leave me wanting more though!

Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook, all opinions are my own.

[Joann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laura Hughes Is Away From Her Desk – 3 Stars

I started this novel with high expectations, especially after reading the synopsis and the early reviews. Almost immediately, though, I found myself feeling frustrated and even angry — not because the writing was weak, but because it was too effective.

Watching how the people around Laura responded to her absence was deeply upsetting. Her husband, daughter and mother seemed to center their concern on how they were affected, rather than on Laura herself. The same was true of her colleagues, whose reactions focused almost entirely on what Laura did for them. As a reader, I kept thinking: did anyone truly see this woman?

It isn’t until well past the midpoint that the characters begin to evolve. This shift starts with Ian, whose growing awareness of Laura’s influence — and his realization that he is capable in his own right — made him more likeable and self-reliant. Gradually, others follow: her husband and daughter begin to take initiative and show pride as they learn to cope with Laura’s absence.

Throughout much of the book, my recurring thought was, did this woman ever get to experience happiness in her life at all? That question lingered heavily — and intentionally. When we finally meet Laura, I felt a sense of hope that had been missing for much of the story, and that hope is what ultimately earned this book three stars.

While this wasn’t an easy or comfortable read for me, it’s clear the author is a talented writer. The emotional response this book provoked speaks to the strength of the storytelling, even when it made me deeply uncomfortable.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such fun to listen to. I think a lot of women will sympathise with Laura. She is mum, wife, daughter, neighbour, friend and colleague but no-one seems to appreciate that she is also just Laura. Until one day she doesn’t turn up for work and her out of office reads Laura Clark is Away From Her Desk. She may be some time. In the immortal words of Peggy Lee, Laura had begun to wonder “Is that all there is?“

In what is quite an unusual way of telling the story, Laura features because of her absence rather than her presence. We hear very little from Laura herself other than a few postcards and messages from her younger life. Instead, we get to know about her through the way her family, friends and colleagues perceive her. It’s not until she’s not there, that people realise just how much she did quietly in the background. She organised everything so efficiently that no-one seemed to notice that things were actually being organised. It was so funny watching everyone suddenly realise how much they relied on Laura and how their lives just didn’t run so smoothly without them being around.

Laura’s husband Mark was awful! He was completely inept and didn’t seem to value or even know his wife at all. Her mother Carol (TN – if you know, you know) was just as bad. It did seem at times that not many people were that worried that Laura had vanished with no word. It was a while before anyone even seemed to consider that perhaps she should actually be reported missing! Some of the characters really stepped up though once they realised that Laura wasn’t around and her absence made them re-evaluate their own lives. Notable among these are her daughter Sian and her colleague Ian.

I so enjoyed Fenella Fudge’s narration. I knew her voice sounded familiar and a bit of investigation showed she used to read the news on Radio 2 which I used to listen to all the time. So it was lovely to hear her voice again. She has a very pleasant voice to listen to and seemed to capture the feel of the various characters very well. She had a few accents to contend with too which she managed admirably.

I’m sure many readers will be cheering Laura on, perhaps wishing that they too could be ‘away from their desk’ for a while and I’m sure that many will identify with her feeling of not being seen. Laura Clark is Away From Her Desk was such an entertaining book to listen to. The ending was very satisfying but of course, I’m not saying anything about that!

[Andrea Hulme · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sharp, witty and clever book, bringing together to many different human emotions and behaviours. I found this to be one of this great observations on life kind of books. Very relatable.

Laura Clark, has become an invisible. In every of life she has become part of the office furniture, a put upon mother and wife at home, even to her best friend, Ruth she was always the Giver in the relationship. So when she disappears one day, it even takes the people around her a long time to figure out what is happening.

Her husband and daughter totally take advantage of her at home, she does everything for them (and Rufus the dog). At work she has been overlooked for promotion for years! Her self centered mother only rings her to complain or when she needs jobs doing. going, Her work colleagues just see her as someone who sorts everything out. But who is looking out for Laura? Not even her friend, Ruth.

There are some seriously laugh out loud moments in the book. I particularly loved the observations and storylines involving Laura's office workers. The behaviours and individuals were so relatable and so familiar to me in many ways. And the chaos that occurs at home as Laura's husband and daughter get to grips with even the most basic domestic parts of life is really funny...and poor Rufus the dog!

The character development is brilliant. I really warmed to Ian, one of Laura's colleagues. But overall the characters were all so well written and identifiable and we really witness some of them growing and becoming more empowered as we progress through the book.

And even though there is comedy and humour throughout the book, I had an emotional response to this book. Laura's health and wellbeing were completely impacted by the people around her. I did keep asking myself if Laura ever found happiness and there's a compelling part of the book where we prise open Laura's true feelings and understand her decision to take control of her own life and leaving it all behind. There is a part of me that would love to leave things behind and seek adventure and experience different things in life.

Fabulous book. I loved it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Bee Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I could be good at maths but no one's going to suggest I shouldn't get paid for a job as an investment banker. I don't hear investment bankers saying 'I'll do it for free! I'm just good at it!'"

A book for the women who have been carrying too much for too long, just wishing they could put an out-of-office message on their whole life for a minute and just let it go.

This hilariously relatable tale starts out with our main characters nowhere to be seen; just a slightly uptight colleague thinking about all the rules she's breaking because corporate culture is really just treating adults like unruly children. Her daughter can't get through, nor her husband who isn't sure where the boiler is, her entitled mother or nosy neighbours. Everyone wants something, so it's highly inconvenient.

The mystery of where and why Laura is gone is brilliantly set up, each person we visit with a third-person narration, like we're overlooking the situation, each persons first reaction being an annoyance that Laura isn't there at their beck and call instead of worrying about her uncharacteristic disappearance.

It is deliciously ironic, while everyone flaps about, struggling, wondering where she's gone; we the reader might not know where exactly, but it's painfully obvious that Laura needed a damn break from all these awful people. From the assumption she makes the tea at work, the fact she does everything at home, the incessant expectations that she's 'just better at this stuff' because she's a woman. We both feel like we know her so well and not at all - hearing about her from third parties who clearly don't pay attention to her, interspersed with occasional postcards from her and her bestie from their big moments.

It moves from one scene to the next with excellent pacing, somewhat simple, no-nonsense writing that really works in this context as we move through everyone looking for reason after reason that Laura Clark might be missing.

"Could Laura's disappearance be down to 'women's things'? Or could it be, she thought, that you've been a shitty husband? That Carol's been a shitty mum? That Laura has a shitty time at work? That Laura has a shitty time at home? Could it be, mark, that your wife has just had enough shit?"

[Athirah Idrus · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be the dutiful daughter, the loyal and obliging wife, the selfless mother, the efficient worker, the empathetic colleague.. These are some of the roles women are expected to play perfectly. No room for flaws or mistakes. The woman is expected to do all this, and not expect anything in return. So what happens when you keep on giving, when everyone around you bosses you around while giving nothing in return, not even basic courtesy to acknowledge you as a person?

So Laura breaks.

What’s interesting is we learn about Laura from the POVs of those around her. Her efforts and contributions were apparent, but nobody took the time to acknowledge or appreciate her. The more I read about other people’s accounts on Laura, the more sympathy I have for her, for being unlucky enough to be surrounded by selfish people who only used her for their convenience. It is sad to see her own selfish mother taking advantage of her, her useless husband and bratty daughter only looking for her when they needed things done, her colleagues who were so reliant on her they basically dropped their own JDs onto Laura’s tray because she was always the problem solver. I was disgusted by the way they felt ENTITLED to have Laura do their bidding, as if Laura was their personal butler, ready at their beck and call. So it’s not surprising to see when Laura decided that she’d had enough.

The saddest thing to me was it took the people around her a long time before they realized Laura was missing. And they only did when things started to go haywire because Laura was not there to manage the mess. Basically they only realized because of her function. They did not remember her, they only remembered she was the one who always put things right again.

It’s refreshing to see a woman’s point of view, especially at an age where she’s deemed to be no longer ‘valuable’ according to society, and yet many things are still imposed on and expected of her. I’m glad I read this.

Thanks to #headline and #netgalley for the advanced copy! This book will be published on 30 July 2026.

[Celine Wu · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day, Laura Clark disappears, leaving utter chaos in her wake, because the people in her life are apparently simply that incompetent.

They, and their messes, are both funny and infuriating, with grown adults being unable to feed themselves, work a washing machine, or do their damn jobs. But that’s not all there is to it. There is nuance to these characters and they are well-rounded, though at first glance they seem like mere caricatures.

The humour in this book is rapier sharp and doesn’t let up. It’s shamelessly British (and British humour really is something else), though many references flew over my head.

The author clearly has a deep understanding of people, and that really shines through. The observations she makes on modern life and how one is affected by it, affected by their personalities and upbringing, are cutting. Seeing this interplay and how the characters then handle Laura’s disappearance was my favourite part.

The most amazing thing about this book, though, was that seeing these characters struggle made me want Laura to come back and help them. That the book managed to make me feel this really elevated the experience for me, even though I have mixed feelings about Laura’s absence being the impetus for these people’s personal growth.

My only complaint, in the spirit of making this a balanced review, is the pacing. The last chapter was a somewhat hurried summary of Laura’s week missing. Also, it took half the book for someone to think, “hey, maybe Laura isn’t just off somewhere handling another responsibility and will be back soon?” and contact each other and the police.

I can see why it happened and how, but that it took half the book really hammers the point in.

To sum up, I really didn’t expect to enjoy this book this much, but it really delivers. There’s wit, some mystery, and a whole lot of insight here, mixed up with hijinks and heartache. A winning combination by any means.

I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Gracie Glebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laura Clark is Away from Her Desk begins with Laura going missing. Or at least, her family and colleagues noticing she is missing, with tell-tale signs like breakfast not being ready and the dog not being taken out, and the elevator at the office not being fixed. Laura has always been dependable, always there, and her sudden not being there is at first met not with worry, but with disdain. Who’s going to do the laundry and send out mass emails if Laura isn’t there?

Laura Clark focuses on a person being a presence, not another human being. Laura is background noise to these people’s lives. It is taken for granted that she will always be doing what needs to be done. We see critiques of the ‘second shift,’ which is the idea of having a shift at work, then coming home to more work with chores and childcare, almost exclusively done by the woman. The idea of believing that you have to do certain tasks, because if you don’t, no one will. Mothering not only your actual child, but the other adults in your life. Putting the weight of the world, or at least the office and home, on your shoulders because no one else will step up to the plate. Laura’s disappearance forces her rotten husband and her nervous coworker to finally fill the roles and duties that they should have been taking on all this time. It forces her daughter to take a good hard look at what she wants because the person who carries all the emotional weight is gone. It forces her best friend to brave motherhood and her new life because the person who had all the answers isn’t there. And it lets us, the readers, process our own feelings about Laura’s situation and examine the parallels from our lives, or of the women in our lives.

This book is funny, thoughtful, relevant, and while a bit over long, it says what it wants to say with grace. If you liked Where’d You Go, Bernadette?, or like books about women’s issues and women finally having enough, I can highly recommend this one.

[Ella Droste · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one had me nodding, laughing a bit, and also occasionally staring at the ceiling like wow, that is a bit too real.

The setup is instantly intriguing. Laura is basically the human version of a perfectly organized inbox for everyone else’s chaos. Work emails, family logistics, emotional support, snack management, she is doing it all while everyone around her barely notices she exists beyond what she can do for them. And then one day she just stops showing up. No warning, no drama, just a very calm exit stage left with an out of office message and suddenly everyone is spiraling in their own very different ways.

What I liked most is how it slowly peels back how invisible she has become in her own life. The story is funny in that slightly uncomfortable way where you are laughing but also thinking okay but wait, am I one inconvenience away from this level of collapse too. The humor is sharp and a bit chaotic, especially as the people around her try and fail at doing the basic things she used to handle without anyone noticing.

The multiple perspectives keep things moving, though at times it does lean a little repetitive in showing just how helpless everyone is without her. I got the point early, and a few scenes could have been trimmed down for punch. Still, there is something oddly satisfying about watching the house of cards wobble.

It is not a perfect read, and it does drag in places, but the message lands. The idea of how much invisible labor one person can carry, and how quickly things fall apart when that support is gone, is handled in a way that is both funny and a little sharp around the edges.

By the end I was rooting for Laura in a very quiet, slightly exhausted way, like yes girl, go sit somewhere peaceful and do absolutely nothing for a while.

Solid 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for the concept, the humor, and the very relatable chaos of it all.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Librow0rm Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laura Clark Is Away From Her Desk by Helen Russell totally made me feel seen! I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend and I work, and at times I have thrown my toys out of the pram about how it feels like everything and everyone in my life revolves around my organising and managing or simply doing it.

Helen Russell takes this theme to the absolute, as Laura Clark is that and more to each and every person around her, working insane unpaid hours to fill the gaps that each of these selfish, lazy or unaware individuals around her leave. Laura’s life is dominated by her lazy, over-bearing, childish husband, her demanding, domineering and truly narcissistic mother and her employer who most definitely takes advantage of her to gain an immense amount of unpaid work and input.

Laura Clark is dependable, reliable and always delivers, until one day she doesn’t. Her out of office email and phone messages are set to say ‘Laura Clark is away from her desk…’ she isn’t responding to calls, texts, facebook messages or any communication efforts and she can’t be found. Laura Clark has gone and no-one knows where, why, for how long and it’s only when things start to fall apart in her absence do people become more aware of all the things she is, all the things she does and just how absent they have been in their support or even effort.

I was engaged in this audio book from start to end, yes, the characters are the absolute extreme of lazy, selfish, unsupportive and useless but, it will be a rare woman who does not feel a synergy or ounce of recognition for all those expectations that are placed on them and for me this felt like a modern version of Shirley Valentine, and maybe we should all take a leaf from Laura’s book and get someone else to pick up some of the load in life and demand the recognition we deserve!

Thank you so much Wildfire, Headline Audio and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an advance audiobook copy of Laura Clark Is Away from Her Desk by Helen Russell, and this was such an enjoyable listen. It made me laugh, made me nod along in recognition more than once, and underneath all the humour was a story with a lot of heart.

Laura Clark is the person everyone relies on but rarely notices. She keeps everything running at work, carries the invisible mental load at home, and somehow manages to hold everyone else's lives together while quietly disappearing into the background herself. So when she finally switches on her out-of-office message and vanishes, the people around her are forced to confront just how much they've taken her for granted.

I think so many readers, particularly women, will recognise parts of themselves in Laura. The author captures all of this brilliantly, balancing genuine laugh-out-loud moments with quieter, more reflective ones that really hit home.

The audiobook narration was excellent. It captured Laura's wit, exhaustion, frustration and warmth perfectly, making her feel incredibly real. The pacing kept me engaged throughout, and I found myself looking for excuses to keep listening. It's one of those audiobooks that feels like spending time with a friend who's telling you an entertaining story, while quietly reminding you of a few uncomfortable truths along the way.
This was a solid four-star listen for me. A couple of moments felt a little more exaggerated than I would have liked, but that never stopped me enjoying the story. It's funny, uplifting, relatable and ultimately a reminder that it's okay to stop putting everyone else first every once in a while.

If you enjoy contemporary fiction with humour, heart, relatable family dynamics and characters who feel wonderfully human, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a listen.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and Headline Publishing, for allowing me access to an ARC of this book.

I was originally intrigued by this book by its general plot of an office worker doing something unexpected. I work in an office setting myself, so this was right up my alley. The main themes in this book are focused on choosing your own path and not taking people in your life for granted. I think MANY people on both sides of this dynamic can get a lot out of Laura's story.

All of the characters in this book are so "character-y" (?), and I absolutely loved it. The continual references to the character's favorite things, or little quirks that just made you feel like, "Yes, that is TOTALLY Ian" (with a Smint and playing Panic at the Disco). I related to some of the characters, totally and completely despised others (just felt very strongly about all of them). I love how this book plays with perspective and storytelling, with Laura's POV showing up minimally. In the same way that Laura's life is completely run by others and their needs, this story ABOUT Laura is told by everyone else in her life. We learn about her through the bits and pieces that are told by those who should (@ Mark) know her best.

I felt very personally connected with Laura, as I grew up with a stay-at-home mom who is a superhero and just does everything, and whom I've definitely taken for granted at times growing up. As an adult, I don't know how she did everything for everyone all of the time, and just generally being an awesome person. Sian realizes that her mom is a person with her own identity, needs, wants, desires, etc., and it's such a specific experience that I've never read about but is actually very close to my experiences.

I ended up rating this a 3.75. I think the general plot could have been wrapped up sooner, but I enjoyed this read a lot overall!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laura Clark Is Away from Her Desk ....and the world beyond her desk too, actually. She's disappeared into thin air, leaving her feckless husband, selfish daughter, harassing mother, floundering best friend and her useless colleagues reeling from her absence. But where has Laura gone and why?

I'll be honest, I was tempted to DNF this book soon after starting it, as the characters were SO infuriating. Never mind away from her desk, this reader wanted to be away from her book. However, it would have been a mistake to have abandoned this book as it soon sunk into my skin and I became so invested in finding out what became of Laura. Absent as she is, Laura is an infinitely relatable character and the book has such an important message to convey about what is expected of and loaded on to a woman in middle age from every direction of her life. As much as I kept listening to find out where Laura was, I was charmed by the progress and character arc written for three of the characters, particularly Ian. The book is funny but the pace drops a little in the middle of the book which detracts from this a little. Still it's a really clever way to write a book and made the key messages really shine through.

The narration was fantastic. She really brought the characters to life with an impassioned performance and a range of voices used to convey the different characters - well done especially for the voice used for Chloe, you managed to make her even more annoying with that inflection - that doesn't sound like a complement I suppose, but I definitely mean it as one!

I'd definitely recommend this book and would certainly read another by the author. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an chance to listen to an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

I have felt conflicted about whether or not to give this book feedback as I did decide to stop reading at about 40% of the book, but have decided to anyways because I do feel like I got enough of the idea to make an informed review.

What I did like about the book:
* I found the humor and the writing style in the beginning to be enjoyable and kept the story interesting
* The idea of a woman disappearing and not telling anyone and people crumbling around her is humorous and unfortunately not too surprising.

What didn't work for me:
* It got extremely repetitive, very quickly. While I do appreciate the need for back stories and that this is happening only for a few days, I found the monotonous "here is how much labor a woman does and no one realizes until she's gone" to get old fast.
* The characters. I just didn't feel particularly connected to any of them. I also understand the need to show them as helpless to push the plot forward but it was hard to find any reason to care to see how they were going to get back on track.
* When I realized this book was 400 pages and still not a ton happened around the 40% mark, it felt even more like a trudge.

I will say that I did really give this an effort to finish. I appreciate the effort of publishers and authors offering their books to readers ahead of time. But it was starting to feel like such a chore that I knew my rating would decrease as I went on and I'm not sure that's entirely fair to this book.

Do I recommend it? I'm pretty neutral on that. I don't think folks shouldn't read it, I think it could work well for people. But for me personally, I wouldn't want to return to this book at a later date. This book has an expected publishing date of July 30, 2026!

Thankyou to to NetGalley and Wildfire (an imprint of Headline Books), and the author for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laura Clark, a woman in her late 40s goes missing from work and home and apart from her cryptic out-of-office message, there's no trace of her anywhere - nor do we, the reader, get any insight into her whereabouts. Instead, we get to meet Laura through the ramifications of her disappearance on the the people around her. Her philandering husband, Mark, sulky daughter Sian, best friend Ruth and worried colleague, Ian.
This novel approach to unfolding the story of a woman taken for granted, belittled and ignored works absolutely brilliantly! A picture of Laura and what her life has been like up until this point unfolds, carrying the reader along with a desire to know more about her, and what has happened to her.
At the same time, we get to know Mark, Sian, Ruth and Ian, to appreciate their vulnerabilities, flaws and occasional strengths. There's great character development going on here - the reader soon becomes invested in each and every main player in the story.
Wittily and wisely told, this story just oozes warmth, while at the same time exploring in sharp detail the minutiae of ordinary life than can make or break a person.
Author Helen Russell has such a sharp eye for comic detail. Whether you're shuddering at the chaos at home as Mark and Sian try to come to grips with domesticity or laughing at the political shenanigans at the office where Laura's calm efficiency is just as sadly missed, or empathising with Ruth as she comes to grips with juggling twin babies with a career without Laura's help, you'll feel immersed in the action and part of Laura's story.
A brilliant read that will definitely be in my top 10 for 2026.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for this ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would absolutely recommend anyone to read it. Russell’s writing was absolutely brilliant and she could have me absolutely furious and then laughing again, all in one chapter.

From the offset, I was absolutely invested in this mystery. Where is Laura Clark? I love that we get to see all of the people in her life come to the realisation that Laura is nowhere to be found and really enjoyed following along as they all connected the dots.

As we start to see the characters navigate either work or home life without their wife, mother, daughter, friend or colleague, we become increasingly aware of the unpaid labour that Laura has been carrying out for years with no recognition or help. This is an issue that I have never personally seen addressed like this and I think that Russell handled the topic beautifully. The everyday sexism that women face can really grind us down but often goes completely unrecognised by the people around us and even sometimes ourselves and this book just shines a light on that.

Seeing the characters realise the mistakes that they have been making and try to fix this was super interesting, whether they were likeable or not. Personally my favourites were Ruth and Ian who really seemed to grow on this small journey.

I love that we have no idea, for the vast majority of the story, where Laura is or what she’s getting up to. I could not wait to find out what was going on, especially as it became clear that she had left behind some clues (or really tricks, I suppose). The ending was so satisfying and I absolutely loved every moment of this book.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Headline/Wildfire and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded down.

In this book we are following the people close to Laura who are wondering where she is when she doesn't show up to any of her obligations on a Monday morning.

Things I liked about this book:

- It is a very British, and has tons of references to things I had to look up. I had no idea what "yop" and a "Collin the Caterpillar" was, but now I know!

- Ruth, Laura's best friend, had an interesting storyline where she was a new single mom to twins in her mid 40's. I found her relatable, and empathized with her on her transition from a career women to living with this new identity. Even though you never see her and Laura together you can tell they had a nice friendship.

- I liked the ending and felt that the best characters got the ending they deserved.

Things I disliked:

- Reading from Mark's point of view. He's such a lazy douchebag, and it was exhausting reading his thoughts on his wife, his daughter, and everyone in between. I would have left him too.

- I also disliked reading about Carol, Laura's mom, and how she would interact with her granddaughter. Carol and Mark were both so unlikeable and kind of accomplished the same feeling of resentment that I already had too much of.

- It is just way too long. This 400 page novel could have been easily cut down to 250-300 range. It became some what repetitive for me in the middle.

Overall this was okay for me. It put my life into perspective and made me feel happy that I never feel as stuck as Laura does in her life. So I will take that as a win.

[Emilie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was instantly drawn to the premise of Laura Clark is Away from Her Desk by Helen Russell, which explores the heavy emotional load and invisible labour often carried by a single person. Helen Russell’s writing style is punchy and funny, and each chapter cleverly reads like a sketch of helpless people trying to function without the central person in their lives.

However, after a few chapters, the narrative felt quite repetitive. The story focused heavily on the characters' inability to perform simple, everyday tasks for themselves, rather than the active search for their missing loved one. I really wished the book looked more into actually finding Laura rather than just complaining that she was gone. The changing perspective in each chapter highlight how Laura’s absence impacts everyone around her, which did keep things more interesting than a single point of view would have. That said, because some chapters are very short, I found the constant shifts confusing and difficult to follow in audiobook format.

Unfortunately, I found all of the characters infuriating, annoying and useless. Because I couldn't relate to any of them, it was a real struggle to carry on with the book. The story is also full of stereotypical events that made it less appealing to me personally, though the ending was satisfying at last.

On a positive note, Fenella Fudge’s narration was pleasant and enjoyable. She brilliantly captured the tone of each distinct character and perfectly reflected the author's humorous writing style.

Overall, a bit too repetitive and boring in the middle for me, but it covers important topics.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

LAURA CLARK IS AWAY FROM HER DESK and honestly, good for her! This book is about a woman who is carrying the thankless load of her family and her workplace on her back until one day, suddenly, she isn’t. Laura Clark’s husband and co-worked awake one day to find that she’s just gone. She didn’t leave a note, doesnt appear to have taken anything with her (including her phone), but she has taken the time to set an out of office message. Told largely from the perspective of those she’s left behind, this book follows Laura’s bewildered and largely clueless peers as they try to piece together clues as to where she’s gone, and how they’re supposed to run their own lives in their absence.

LAURA CLARK is a cheeky exhibition of the invisible burdens women shoulder at work and at home. The trope of the under-appreciated woman has been well-explored, but I think it gets some new life in the context of a very 2020s office setting. While I got a kick out of the set up and liked the dry British humor, I thought it outstayed its welcome and ran about 100 pages too long. There’s only so many scenes I can take of the absolutely hapless husband bumbling through his own home, spilling take-out on himself and eschewing his laundry, all while assuring himself that it can’t be either his personality or his numerous affairs that have caused Laura to up and leave. Once it becomes obvious Laura is the most interesting character, I wanted to skip ahead to what I assumed would be her POV chapters. Thelma ending, when it finally came though, was pretty satisfying.

Recommend to fans of British humor, fans of women’s rights and a little bit of women’s wrongs, and anyone to read and enjoyed Where’d You Go Bernadette? back in the 2010s

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and witty. This would make a great summer read.

Laura is missing from her desk. She is missing from home too. Sadly, the only reason her colleagues and family are aware of this is because there are lots of jobs not getting done.

At work Ian despairs of losing the only person who was nice to him but as he begins to investigate he discovers there might be more to Laura's absence than it appeared at the beginning of the week. Exactly whst is the LCO file on Laura's PC and where is Paul the "hot" mailman? Of course all Ian's concerns are secondary to the fact that the lift won't work, there is no water left in the cooler snd the thermostat seems to be stuck on roasting.

At home her husband, daughter and mother are all thrown into complete flux by Laura's disappearance. It turns out noone can boil an egg, noone knows how to use the washing machine and if someone doesnt work out why the dog is whimpering then the house us going to get very smelly.

I really enjoyed the audio version of this book, narrated by Fenells Fudge (she did a marvellous voice for husband, Mark, which set my teeth on edge).

The novel itself had me laughing, railing and agreeing with the story. As women we will either have experienced something like Laura's life or know someone who is a version of her.

As the story develops we learn more about Laura's life and her actions become entirely understandable.

Definitely recommended. Just ignore the uninspiring cover, it does not do the book any favours.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Headline Audio for the audio advance review copy.

[Lanes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received Laura Clark is Away from Her Desk as an Arc through NetGalley. I had been hearing great things and thought this would be right up my alley, it was and wasn’t at the same time.

Laura Clark is Away from Her Desk is the story of Laura, a mom, a wife, a daughter, a coworker, a friend who is unbeknownst to those in her life, the metaphorical glue holding them together. We see early on the way that Laura’s absence affects those around her in big ways almost immediately. From the way her daughter and husband seemingly can’t fend for themselves, to the way her coworkers are practically inept without her.

I think the book does a great job at exploring all of the emotional, physical, and mental labor that many women, especially wives and mothers do. However the one thing that stood out to me was just how badly adapted these people seemed to be. It was almost extreme the way they knew ABSOLUTELY nothing about her. One instance that stood out to be was pretty early on when the father and daughter couldn’t even recall a single thing Laura liked to wear.

Overall I think the book had some fantastic moments and I did appreciate a look into just how often women are expected to do this kind of work without appreciation and acknowledgment, but I didn’t think we needed 400+ pages to get there.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m between 3 and 4 stars!

I really loved the concept behind this one—it had such a strong, meaningful message at its core, and I found myself connecting with Laura right away. She felt grounded and easy to root for, which made it a little frustrating that we didn’t get more of her throughout the story.

The supporting characters were…a lot. I understand they were intentionally exaggerated, but at times their behavior felt so over-the-top and unfair toward Laura that it pushed the satire just a bit too far for me. It made certain sections harder to get through, especially when I was really wanting Laura’s voice and perspective.

That said, I did appreciate seeing some growth and evolution from those characters by the end, and I really liked how the story wove in themes of mental and emotional health. That added a layer of depth that made the story feel more impactful overall.

It did drag in places, and I think it could have been tighter without losing anything essential. I also found myself wishing the ending had been explored a bit more—it was satisfying, but I wanted just a little extra time there with a more detailed solution.

Overall, a solid and enjoyable read with a great message, even if it didn’t fully land for me in every moment!

** I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and publisher! **

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laura is always there, for everyone until she is. She is away from her desk and home without notice. Most of the people around her have taken her for granted including her colleagues and her family.

The story is told from the point of view of her colleague Ian who is the first to miss her and the one who seems the most bothered about her not being there. Her friend who has been a career woman until she unexpectedly has twins as a single mother in her late 40s. Laura's husband Mark who is an entirely self obsessed and dislikable man who has sailed through life allowing others to meet his needs. Her daughter Sian, another self obsessed person but at least she has the excuse a still being a teenager. Lastly the reason Laura has learned to take on everything for everyone, her mother, another entirely unlikable character.

We hear about all of the tasks that Laura previously took on that others are now having to try to manage. Her colleagues are sweltering in an office with a heating problem and a broken lift and she is not there to sort it out, her family are hungry and the dog needs to walk.

I enjoyed the book and the narration was good. I wonder if it would have been even better if more of the characters show edited some redeeming qualities and managed to stop trying to avoid any responsibility.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the DRC.