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The Pieces of Us

An emotional novel about family, memory and motherhood from the author of Meredith, Alone

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The Pieces of Us

By: Claire Alexander
Narrated by: Sarah Barron, Sorcha Groundsell
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Brought to you by Penguin.

The new novel from Claire Alexander, author of Meredith, Alone.

Three generations of women. Three life altering events. As they discover the truth of their heritage, they'll discover what makes the pieces of us...

At fifty-eight Minnie McAllister isn’t an old woman. But as Alzheimer’s ravages her mind, her brain says otherwise.

Cat McAllister is tackling everything life can throw at her. And just when she thinks it can’t get any worse, she’s faced with the discovery that Minnie might not be the mother she once knew.

Meanwhile, Cat's daughter, Ruby McAllister, who is staring at a two very blue lines, faces a decision that will change the course of her life.

As three generations of women are pulled in three different directions, each are forced to learn lessons about themselves that they never could have imagined.

© Claire Alexander 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

 Coming of Age Genre Fiction Women's Fiction World Literature
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Critic reviews

I cried and laughed and utterly loved THE PIECES OF US – this book has all the feels – I ADORED it! (FAITH HOGAN)
With themes of resilience, memory and the complexities of womanhood, this novel offers a heartfelt exploration of familial bonds and personal growth
Raw, heartbreaking, and oh so beautiful! I wanted to climb inside the pages and never leave. (CLAIRE FRANCIS, author of To Hell With It)
I loved this moving story about mothers, daughters and secrets from the past that can no longer be contained. Claire Alexander writes about our deepest emotional truths with acuity and a sense of hope. (Jo Leevers)
Praise for Meredith, Alone
Gorgeous. I shed tears. Very, very touching, sweet and hopeful (Marian Keyes)
Heartbreaking and glorious . . . [An] absolute joy of a novel
Beautiful, moving and unexpectedly timely (Daisy Buchanan)
Touching and funny and sad and hopeful. I loved Meredith, Alone so much! (Jane Fallon)
Beautifully written, a story of womanhood in all its facets. I loved it! (Amanda Prowse)
All stars
Most relevant
Fantastic multi generational story. Can’t fault the narration. If you liked “Meredith, alone” you will like this. Although they are two very different books tackling the various stumbling blocks that life can throw at you. Both great in their own way. Well done Claire.

Great listen

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Such a moving and beautiful story of love and complex relationships. Cats relationship with her mum - as a daughter and as her carer - really touched me.

Beautiful relationships

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A story that kept me listening. I cared about all the characters. The relationships were relatable and positive. Loved listening to

Family

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