
Delighted, excited and terrified… My sixth novel, Hunger and Thirst will be published by Fig Tree (Penguin) in February 2026 in the UK and Commonwealth, Tin House in the US, and Bond Street Books (Doubleday) in Canada.
“Ursula, a renowned, reclusive sculptor find the past she has been running from catching up with her when a documentary-maker begins to dig into the unsolved disappearance of someone Ursula knew back in the 1980s. Set in and around a local art school and steeped in the atmosphere of the horror films Ursula watches, it’s a compelling and chilling story of loneliness and possession, of the dangerous line between wanting and needing and of how far a person will go to belong.”
It’s been great fun rewatching all my favourite horror films from the 1970s and 80s, and drawing on my memories from that time, when I was an art student studying sculpture and living in what was essentially a squat. Ghost stories and horror novels were the first books I read as a teenager, and it’s been interesting (and difficult) to see whether I can write something a little bit scary.
Intrigued to read it next year. Good luck with the film rights, best wishes, Hilary
Thank you!
Warm congratulations, Claire!
Thank you!
Exciting about your new book, Claire!
Congratulations!!!
Thanks, Elyse!
Can’t wait, really looking forward to reading it.
Thank you!
This sounds like the perfect read for me, so I can’t wait until it’s published! Huge congratulations, Claire!
Thanks so much!