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Leaving Poppy
Amber's family think she's gone to Cornwall on holiday, but really she's left home. She's forging a new life - new house mates, new job and (with a little luck) new boyfriend. She feels bad because her mother and Poppy need her, but she's got to make the break, get out of their clutches. Then Amber falls ill and her family come to look after her. Something in the house responds to Poppy's presence, something malign and threatening. When Poppy moves into the attic, it gets even stronger, until evil seems to permeate everywhere and Amber thinks she might never be able to escape...This is a chilling and absorbing novel from a brilliant storyteller.
348 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
10 people are currently reading
322 people want to read
About the author
Kate Cann
45 books239 followersWhen I was a child, I wanted to be a witch. My first foray into writing was a series of nasty spells full of rats’ tails and bats’ wings. Then, when I turned thirteen, I began keeping a lurid diary, full of adoration or loathing, depending on who I was writing about. I used my later diaries for the Diving In trilogy.
I never thought ‘I want to be a writer’, but I loved books and writing. At school, I was rubbish at just about everything but English, so I went on to Kent University where I did two degrees in English and American Literature. At Kent, I fell dramatically in love with the man I'm still married to. We had loads of fights and adventures, but we kept coming back together. He's still the person I most want to spend time with. Awww!
My first proper job was in a publishing house, Time Life Books, as a copy-editor. I felt very glamorous. I used to go to the huge YMCA on Tottenham Court Road at lunchtime and do aerobics classes (very big in the 1980s and yes - I wore legwarmers). Then I'd fall asleep over my desk in the afternoon.
When my two kids came along, I set up as a freelance copy-editor and worked from home. By chance I got given some teenage books to edit, and I hated the way they treated sexual relationships: they were either full of gloom and doom, or were gushy, unrealistic candyfloss. So I got bitten by the ‘I can do better than this’ bug, and started writing. I remember the first day I started to write - it took me over. I forgot to eat (unthinkable for me) and I nearly forgot to collect the kids from school. About a year after that, Diving In was accepted for publication.
When I ran out of material from my diaries and memories, I realized my daughter and son were teenagers, and started eavesdropping on them. They were extremely tolerant about this although they did sometimes demand money from me.
Big changes have been afoot recently. My kids have left home - really left home, not just gap-year-travelling/university left home, and my old man is doing the sort of work that means he can work from home a lot of the time. So we've sold up and moved into the wilds of Wiltshire and so far I am absolutely loving it. The space, the silence, seeing the stars at night in the pitch black, the owls, the trees, the walks, the great food in the local pubs - everything! I'd started to bring nature into my books - it all started with Crow Girl - and now I'm working on two books about a city girl who gets plunged into the wilds. So the move is very much linked to and helping my writing. I think the sheer beauty and power of nature and how it can get right inside you is something a lot of kids are cut off from today.
I still love London though - the plan is to come up every couple of weeks, catch up with all my old mates, possibly do something seriously cultured like go to the theatre. And I want to travel a bit more, too - offsetting my increased carbon footprint with an enormous compost heap.
I love long conversations, running, reading, gardening, walking and white wine (in moderation of course) and I’m the first to admit I have the life of Reilly (who apparently had a pretty cushy life). I start the day with a run or walk with my dog, when I think about what’s going to happen next in the book I’m writing. Then I have a huge breakfast, and get down to work. I write on (or if it’s cold, in) the spare bed with a laptop, my dog at the bottom of the bed. If it’s sunny, I write in the garden, on a sun-lounger. Tough, ay? I also have this theory that you can’t be truly creative for more than about three or four hours a day, so in the mid afternoon, I knock off, and do my emails and stuff. Told you it was cushy.
I never thought ‘I want to be a writer’, but I loved books and writing. At school, I was rubbish at just about everything but English, so I went on to Kent University where I did two degrees in English and American Literature. At Kent, I fell dramatically in love with the man I'm still married to. We had loads of fights and adventures, but we kept coming back together. He's still the person I most want to spend time with. Awww!
My first proper job was in a publishing house, Time Life Books, as a copy-editor. I felt very glamorous. I used to go to the huge YMCA on Tottenham Court Road at lunchtime and do aerobics classes (very big in the 1980s and yes - I wore legwarmers). Then I'd fall asleep over my desk in the afternoon.
When my two kids came along, I set up as a freelance copy-editor and worked from home. By chance I got given some teenage books to edit, and I hated the way they treated sexual relationships: they were either full of gloom and doom, or were gushy, unrealistic candyfloss. So I got bitten by the ‘I can do better than this’ bug, and started writing. I remember the first day I started to write - it took me over. I forgot to eat (unthinkable for me) and I nearly forgot to collect the kids from school. About a year after that, Diving In was accepted for publication.
When I ran out of material from my diaries and memories, I realized my daughter and son were teenagers, and started eavesdropping on them. They were extremely tolerant about this although they did sometimes demand money from me.
Big changes have been afoot recently. My kids have left home - really left home, not just gap-year-travelling/university left home, and my old man is doing the sort of work that means he can work from home a lot of the time. So we've sold up and moved into the wilds of Wiltshire and so far I am absolutely loving it. The space, the silence, seeing the stars at night in the pitch black, the owls, the trees, the walks, the great food in the local pubs - everything! I'd started to bring nature into my books - it all started with Crow Girl - and now I'm working on two books about a city girl who gets plunged into the wilds. So the move is very much linked to and helping my writing. I think the sheer beauty and power of nature and how it can get right inside you is something a lot of kids are cut off from today.
I still love London though - the plan is to come up every couple of weeks, catch up with all my old mates, possibly do something seriously cultured like go to the theatre. And I want to travel a bit more, too - offsetting my increased carbon footprint with an enormous compost heap.
I love long conversations, running, reading, gardening, walking and white wine (in moderation of course) and I’m the first to admit I have the life of Reilly (who apparently had a pretty cushy life). I start the day with a run or walk with my dog, when I think about what’s going to happen next in the book I’m writing. Then I have a huge breakfast, and get down to work. I write on (or if it’s cold, in) the spare bed with a laptop, my dog at the bottom of the bed. If it’s sunny, I write in the garden, on a sun-lounger. Tough, ay? I also have this theory that you can’t be truly creative for more than about three or four hours a day, so in the mid afternoon, I knock off, and do my emails and stuff. Told you it was cushy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
December 11, 2010
I really loved reading this book. It scared the life out of me!
March 24, 2013
I found this to be a good book -
It is different to the other books of hers which I have read - - but still similar in that it is still about an 18 year old that leaves home and finds herself in the process.
The pace was slow to begin with, too slow perhaps, and sped up at the end. I can imagine people who were happy with the pace at the start would have hated the ending, whereas for me it was the other way round. I felt the beginning was too detailed (though I appreciated that the descriptions of surroundings connected deeply with her emotional state - a factor that actually ended up playing an important part in the plot) and the ending was great.
I can also imagine people who like hardcore horror not being scared by this book. I, who never watch horror films because I get scared easy (why pussyfoot? I'm a wimp, simple as), enjoyed the balance of fear and sympathy I felt for the main character and her family situation.
Which brings me on to the family. The book has a good complete plot, etc, but also touches on some important themes. The way Poppy controls her sister and mother is common in real life, as is the mother's reaction to it, but I feel it isn't explored often enough in literature. I'm glad it occurred in this book, and the reaction of the father was unfortunately quite realistic. One of the morals I took away from this was: there is no real hero that will come and save you. You have to try and save yourself and if you're lucky there will be people around to help.
It is different to the other books of hers which I have read - - but still similar in that it is still about an 18 year old that leaves home and finds herself in the process.
The pace was slow to begin with, too slow perhaps, and sped up at the end. I can imagine people who were happy with the pace at the start would have hated the ending, whereas for me it was the other way round. I felt the beginning was too detailed (though I appreciated that the descriptions of surroundings connected deeply with her emotional state - a factor that actually ended up playing an important part in the plot) and the ending was great.
I can also imagine people who like hardcore horror not being scared by this book. I, who never watch horror films because I get scared easy (why pussyfoot? I'm a wimp, simple as), enjoyed the balance of fear and sympathy I felt for the main character and her family situation.
Which brings me on to the family. The book has a good complete plot, etc, but also touches on some important themes. The way Poppy controls her sister and mother is common in real life, as is the mother's reaction to it, but I feel it isn't explored often enough in literature. I'm glad it occurred in this book, and the reaction of the father was unfortunately quite realistic. One of the morals I took away from this was: there is no real hero that will come and save you. You have to try and save yourself and if you're lucky there will be people around to help.
September 24, 2012
Creepy and awesome, that is the only way I can describe. Yet another great book by Kate Cann
November 11, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. Its a bit different from her Holiday series but kinda similar. Poppy's a girl leaving home to get away from her ever needy mother and sister; to finally have a life of her own. I really enjoy her stories like this because it makes me want to venture out and try new things. And I must say they have inspired me to take more risks in life.
Theres a bit of a slow track here and there but it never loses its balance of the main object of self discovery. What "threw" me off, but didnt "put" me off was the haunting. I just wasnt expecting that. It was very interesting to see how it all tied together for the end.
Kate Cann is high on my list of faves. Her writing is just too good for me to ever truly dislike anything.
Theres a bit of a slow track here and there but it never loses its balance of the main object of self discovery. What "threw" me off, but didnt "put" me off was the haunting. I just wasnt expecting that. It was very interesting to see how it all tied together for the end.
Kate Cann is high on my list of faves. Her writing is just too good for me to ever truly dislike anything.
July 15, 2024
Creepy ass book but such an addictive read. I love Marty and I want a Marty
August 26, 2014
The writing was dreadful, and half the time i had to reread previous pages to fully understand the flow of the story. Underneath all of the romance was an unspoken horror- one that i wasnt sure of, because the characters kept choosing to ignore it and Kate Cann's confusing writing didnt help either. Even as i neared the end, i still wasnt sure if this was a horror story that involved cults.
I have read a few of Kate Cann's books, and while her writing style then was bearable, it was terrible in this book. short, unfinished, choppy sentences. poor choices of words and a lack of explanations.
the ending ended so sudden that i felt it wasnt over. i was almost expecting a second climax, because the first one had been so poor. at the end of the book, i had a milion questions on my mind and less than half answered. im a logical person. i. want. explanations. for everything that happened. you cant just write about weird things and put it all down to supernatural activity. gah! this is why i hate paranormal books.
guess im better off sticking to sci-fi.
biased as i am, you have to admit that the writing itself is a major turn-off.
I have read a few of Kate Cann's books, and while her writing style then was bearable, it was terrible in this book. short, unfinished, choppy sentences. poor choices of words and a lack of explanations.
the ending ended so sudden that i felt it wasnt over. i was almost expecting a second climax, because the first one had been so poor. at the end of the book, i had a milion questions on my mind and less than half answered. im a logical person. i. want. explanations. for everything that happened. you cant just write about weird things and put it all down to supernatural activity. gah! this is why i hate paranormal books.
guess im better off sticking to sci-fi.
biased as i am, you have to admit that the writing itself is a major turn-off.
January 10, 2023
Childhood favourite; even then I wanted to smack the sh*t outta Poppy. Now kinda reads like a Lifetime movie...still fun though.
October 9, 2010
This book gave me the creeps. But in a good way.
Likable characters, great story line and addictive good writing. But what I really loved about this book began with very small hints of the climax where everything was quite normal till it slowly built up to full on supernatural. Great read.
Likable characters, great story line and addictive good writing. But what I really loved about this book began with very small hints of the climax where everything was quite normal till it slowly built up to full on supernatural. Great read.
December 16, 2010
a great gothic tale that had me hooked and wanting more.
February 9, 2012
Unlike anything I've ever read before. The blurb doesn't give too much away, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't read it. Fasinating, chilling, brilliant...I NEED to read it again.
February 26, 2013
This is classed as a young adult read so it was quick and easy to read but was a great story I was transported into the seaside where the book is set and the characters came to life.
November 19, 2018
I enjoyed reading the book but the end was just too lacklustre for me. I'm not sure what I had expected it to end like but this was not it.
May 8, 2017
Minder romantisch dan de andere boeken die ik van haar ken maar wel een heerlijk spannend boek.
December 21, 2018
I don’t get scared easily watching horror movies, and after reading this book (and the reviews) I guess it’s the same with books. Wasn’t scared & underwhelming, the story’s just ok.
March 18, 2019
can la
April 12, 2019
Really good book! Could never predict ending,, couldn't put it down. Would recommend it!
July 27, 2019
Definitely a page-turner! Creepy yet enthralling. Kate Cann did a good job in scaring the wits out of her readers.
November 4, 2019
Scared the day lights out of me
June 13, 2020
Het was superleuk, je wil het echt in 1 keer uitlezen. echt een top boek. de schrijfstijl is ook heel leuk en de schrijver ook. heb alles van haar.
February 20, 2022
I have not read something this haunting and thrilling since Unlocked by Margo Kelly. That was still better, but I’m giving this five stars to encourage people to read it.
May 19, 2023
… That’s the end of the book? So much build up to a supernatural showdown and a garage sale is what I get?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2023
A very easy read. Fast paced and just the right amount of creepy. Reading this book made me glad I haven’t got a sister.
February 22, 2025
Not creepy at all.
December 30, 2020
A really good little YA ghost story about a girl with an emotional abusive mother and sister.
July 13, 2020
A book from my old bookcase: Leaving Poppy by Kate Cann. As a teenager I read several of her books and that is why I was looking forward to rereading this book. A little more light-hearted and smooth in between to experience the difference with the books I often read now.
"Leaving Poppy" is about Amber. Fearful of leaving home, she tells her mother that she is going on vacation for two weeks. In reality, she starts a new life, gets roommates and a part-time job.
You read along with Amber and her excitement to stand on her own two feet for the first time and how she her mothers protection has influenced her life.
When Amber's sister unexpectedly moves into the attic room of Amber's new home, there appears to be something unnatural in the house. With that, the book suddenly takes a different turn.
I think this is still a fun book for teenagers to read, combined with an ultimately creepy story. That makes me feel that it is not a standard teen book.
"Leaving Poppy" is about Amber. Fearful of leaving home, she tells her mother that she is going on vacation for two weeks. In reality, she starts a new life, gets roommates and a part-time job.
You read along with Amber and her excitement to stand on her own two feet for the first time and how she her mothers protection has influenced her life.
When Amber's sister unexpectedly moves into the attic room of Amber's new home, there appears to be something unnatural in the house. With that, the book suddenly takes a different turn.
I think this is still a fun book for teenagers to read, combined with an ultimately creepy story. That makes me feel that it is not a standard teen book.
January 13, 2025
It’s a quick, easy read. Really great book, however, it isn’t really a ‘horror’. If you’re thinking about reading this book because you want to be scared, this isn’t the one for you. However, enjoyed reading it.
September 1, 2019
I got into this book and formed a connection with the characters very quickly but the ending was disappointing and felt rushed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2019
This book chilled me to the core, I felt like I have a mental sister despite not having any siblings. Couldn't resist turning next page. Such engrossment, yet such enjoyment.
November 11, 2021
actually enjoyed this book better than i thought i would. definitely wanted to save amber from her dreadful family. though i'm not going to lie, her family was way more scarier than her house, and the mother seemed way more of the villain than poppy. i actually pity poppy a little, because at the end of the day (though she is terrible), she's a product of her own environment, so its no wonder that a girl who was given legitimately everything and not held accountable to anything at all is a major brat. whereas the hatred i hold for amber's mum is too much to fit in a review lol. i think the 'horror' part of the book that really did it for me was the realism in amber's negligent upbringing, and how she has to realise what terrible people her family is. i just wish we got to explore some heartbreak on amber's side at the end more, because the novel did put heavy emphasis on how much amber cared for them, but i do understand why should be feel so much relief at having them out of her life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews