Dear Reader,

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Harry, and I am Lucinda Riley’s eldest son. I suspect not, but perhaps it surprised you to see two names on the cover of this long-awaited novel.

Just before the release of The Missing Sister in 2021, Lucinda announced that there was to be a surprise eighth and final instalment in the Seven Sisters series, which would tell the tale of the enigmatic Pa Salt. In her Author’s Note at the end of the seventh book, she wrote: ‘It’s been in my head for eight years, and I can’t wait to finally get it down on paper.’

Tragically, Mum died in June 2021 following an oesophageal cancer diagnosis in 2017. Perhaps you are speculating that she never had the chance to pen anything. But fate works in mysterious ways. In 2016, Mum was flown over to Hollywood by a production company who were interested in acquiring the film rights to the Seven Sisters. As such, the team were desperate to know how she saw the series ending – four books ahead of schedule.

The process forced Mum to assemble her fragmented thoughts in a document. She wrote thirty pages of script dialogue for the potential producers, which take place at the climax of the series’ narrative. I’m sure I don’t need to persuade you that those pages were predictably magnificent; packed with drama, suspense . . . and an enormous surprise.

In addition to this, fans of the series will know that Pa Salt cameos in each book. Mum kept a timeline of the character’s movements across the decades, forming a comprehensive spotter’s guide. In these ways, Lucinda got more ‘down on paper’ than she ever gave herself credit for.

In 2018, Mum and I created the Guardian Angels series for children, and co-authored four books. During this time, she asked me to complete the Seven Sisters series if the worst were to happen. Our conversations will always remain private, but I wish to stress that I was a fail-safe put in place in case of the unthinkable. And unthinkable it was. I don’t believe that Mum ever really considered that she would actually die, and neither did I. Several times, she somehow defied the laws of science and nature to bounce back from the brink. But then, Mum was always a little bit magic.

After her death, there was no question that I would keep my word. Many people have asked about the pressure of the task. Ultimately, Atlas promises to reveal secrets that have kept readers guessing for a decade. However, I’ve always seen the process as a tribute. I’ve completed the task for my best friend and my hero. In that way, there’s been no pressure at all, and it’s proved to be a labour of love. I predict that some will naturally obsess over which plot elements are Mum’s and which are mine, but I don’t think that’s important. Put simply, the story is the story. And I know you will be emotionally satisfied at the end of this book. Mum has made sure of that.

Arguably Lucinda’s greatest achievement is that no one has correctly identified the secret driving force behind the series – and there have been thousands of theories. Atlas will reward those who have loved the novels since the beginning, but there is a new story to tell, too (although it’s always been there, hidden quietly amongst the first 4,500 pages). Perhaps all I’m doing is removing the smokescreen . . .

Working on Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt has been the challenge and privilege of a lifetime. It is Lucinda Riley’s parting gift, and I am so excited to deliver it.

Harry Whittaker, 2023