"His most ingenious and chilling yet." Observer "It's thrilling ... gaining momentum and causing frantic page-turning" -- Philip Ardagh Guardian "Burgess writes with a sharpness, and a sympathy for the characters." Independent on Sunday "For those who want their cautionary tales with a bit of grit this is worth reading." -- Amanda Craig The Times "A chilling, unputdownable, sinister thriller." The Bookseller "A chillingly clever satire" Daily Telegraph "Gripping psychological thriller ... contains some of Melvin Burgess's best writing to date" The Scotsman "This book was intriguing, thrilling and tackled complex issues with skill." Sunday Herald "A gripping account of the nightmare world of self-harming and self-hating (but loveable) teenager Sara ... may be Burgess's very best book to date." Irish Sunday Independent "Remarkable and challenging look at the modern-day obsession with beauty and celebrity." Publishing News

Melvin Burgess was born in London and brought up in Surrey and Sussex. He has had a variety of jobs before becoming a full-time writer. Before his first novel, he had short stories published and a play broadcast on Radio 4. He is now regarded as one of the best writers in contemporary children's literature.