The Search – Karen Howard
ISBN: 9781788648691
£11.99
Part 1 of The Identity Thieves trilogy
When Sarah Lester discovers the birth certificate of a twin sister her world unravels. Why had her parents never spoken of Suzette? And why are they still lying to her?
As Sarah’s world becomes increasingly threatening, her determination to trace what became of Suzette increases. Supported by her partner, Ben, and her friend, Jennifer, Sarah’s search leads her from the Scottish Highlands to southwest France, via dead ends, hostile encounters with a strange couple and a disturbing childhood memory.
What confrontations lie ahead?
How do we rebuild a life when it’s devastated by reality?
A traumatic topic handled with compassion through skilful writing. The characters are so well-drawn it’s hard to remember they aren’t real and the plot twists dramatically without ever lapsing into implausibility. The Search is a gripping story of family intrigue and a captivating opening gambit for Howard’s The Identity Thieves trilogy.
— Tracey Iceton, PhD, author of The Celtic Colours Trilogy
Author biography
Karen Howard grew up roaming the Malvern Hills and sampling the delights of Wiltshire. Despite her early love of literature and history, she chose a scientific path, pursuing a career in environmental chemistry.
She travelled widely and began to write creative fiction. In 2014 she self-published her first novel, The Gimmel Ring. In 2022, she was awarded an invaluable Cinnamon Pencil creative writing mentorship. The Search, the first book of The Identity Thieves trilogy, was shortlisted for the Cinnamon Press Literature Award 2023 and New Voices 2025. The second in the series, The Choice was shortlisted for the Cinnamon Press Literature Award 2024 and Karen is is now working on the concluding novel. Since retiring in 2021, Karen devotes most of her time to writing, walking and travelling. She lives in Shropshire with her husband and Border Collie.
You can visit Karen on her website: karen-howard.com karen-howard.com.