Who took my hand first

It was supposed to be the happiest time of their lives. Instead, it left a scar on their souls… When Alexandra ‘Lexie’ Sinclair meets the charming Innes Kent, editor-in-chief of an influential magazine and a respected art dealer, she has no idea that she herself will become the object of his refined taste. To give fate a helping hand, she decides to leave behind her small-town life and start afresh in London’s Soho. But the strait-laced 1950s are still full of pitfalls and prejudice, and a young woman at the side of a married man can easily find herself in trouble. Meanwhile, at the start of the 21st century, one family’s life is turned upside down overnight. Elina, a painter, almost died during a complicated birth and has felt uprooted and confused since returning from hospital. Something isn't right – and her husband, Ted, isn't finding the new baby’s arrival easy either. Constantly worried about his partner, he seeks comfort in childhood memories, but despite his parents' reassurances, there are inconsistencies he cannot explain… This delicate dual portrait of strong women, whose similar fates connect them across half a century, won the Costa Book Award for Best Novel in 2010. ‘Like Daphne du Maurier, O'Farrell brings our darkest fears into the light.’ – Daily Mail. ‘[The author] has a remarkable ability: to faithfully convey a wide range of emotions to the reader. In The Hand That First Held Mine, she also demonstrates a masterful storytelling talent.’ – The Guardian. ‘We hold it to be undeniable that Maggie O’Farrell is one of the most compelling writers in Britain today.’ – Literary Review.