Distraction

by Caroline Batten

Hubble, bubble, the witch is in trouble, the ballerina's broken and the vet's in disgrace. Living in the Lakes is going to be murder. When Patrick’s photographed in flagrante with a local beauty queen, his father delivers an ultimatum: one more newspaper scandal and Patrick will be disowned – no house and no job at the family veterinary practice. Desperate not to lose his easy life in the country, Patrick needs to avoid trouble – and girls like Libby. Until she moved to the Lakes, Libby hadn't had sex on a first date, let alone indulged in a one-night-stand. But after flings with the local policeman and a married man, her morals unravel causing the local rag to dub her ‘The Libertine’. Infamous and still mourning her previous career as a ballerina, Libby casts a Wicca spell to summon a new love. Good-looking, honest, non-brown eyes, English, likes animals… in a nutshell: Patrick, a man she’s never met. But fighting Libby’s love spell will be the least of Patrick’s problems when an old lady dies from a ketamine overdose. The drug was stolen from his surgery and she’s the third pensioner to die in as many months. Tongues will wag.

Unknown Binding

About the author

Caroline lives in the Lake District with her husband, small child and two Kune Kune pigs.

She daydreams of one day owning a pair of Louboutin’s and having somewhere fabulous to wear them. Until then, she’ll be found plodding up a mountain in her trusty hiking boots.

#forfeit is Caroline’s debut novel. Her second novel, Distraction, is due for publication in February 2015.