Margaret, Are You Leaving?

'Such a warm, generous, uplifting book. Full of heart and wisdom, emotionally sharp and funny in a very human way' EMMA PEI YIN

'An extraordinary story of mothers and daughters ... reveals the human condition in all its flawed glory' KYRA GEDDES

'An irresistible story of family, friendship and community, of mothers and daughters and bonds that time and tragedy cannot erase. Beautiful and heart-rending, it asks that most profound of questions: was I loved?' TRISH BOLTON

An uplifting and life-affirming novel about family lost and found from the author of Australian bestseller The Wakes.

Sydney, 2001. Now in her forties, Maggie Reid has built a good life for herself, surrounded by good people. She has an adorable but needy dog and a new relationship. She has tried hard to leave her painful past behind her, but when her beloved brother Lucas calls with news of their adopted mother's death, he also delivers a bombshell about Maggie's birth mother.

So begins an uncertain, bumpy journey to trace her mother's identity, a quest that brings fresh heartbreak but also unexpected joy. Maggie's spent her whole life leaving, but now, for the first time, will she feel like staying?

Deeply empathetic, uncommonly witty and wise, Margaret, Are You Leaving? celebrates the messiness of family and the beauty of life in all its heartache and wonder.

Praise for Dianne Yarwood's debut novel, The Wakes:

'An insightful, emotionally intelligent writer . . . her book is like a warm embrace' The Times

'Heartfelt, funny, uplifting' The Australian Women's Weekly

'Few people can write about food and heartbreak like Nora Ephron - that was until Dianne Yarwood . . . comfort food for your mind' Harper's Bazaar

'Funny, moving, tender and wise' LIANE MORIARTY

'An uplifting novel about how the joy of living can be found in the most unexpected places' The Guardian

'A delectable fusion of comedy, hope, loss, and great food' Weekend Australian

Heartfelt . . . blends humour with poignant reflections on life and death' Better Homes & Gardens

'Full of wry, astute observations of the human condition . . . We are left with a sense of hope and a fierce consciousness of the preciousness of life' Living Arts Canberra

'A celebration of what it means to be alive, and the joy of finding friendship' JOANNA NELL

'Warm and profound. I can't wait for everyone to read it' SALLY HEPWORTH

'Immensely human and warm and satisfying' SHEL