A mother and son on the run. A new beginning. A past they cannot escape.

An unforgettable saga of love, escapism and intrigue from the bestselling author of No One's Girl, Mothering Sunday and The Little Angel, The Bad Apple is sure to leave you hungry for more. Perfect for fans of Shelia Newberry and Dilly Court.

'Rosie Goodwin is a born storyteller - she'll make you cry, she'll make you laugh, but most of all you'll care for her characters and lose yourself in her story. An author destined for the top' - Jeannie Johnson

Louise Hart has endured a great deal of pain from her callous husband Paul, but one cold December night in 1959 she can take no more. She and her son Davey escape their Coventry high-rise flat and flee to Tanglewood, the dilapidated ivy-clad mansion where her mother Dolly runs an animal sanctuary. Miserable and frightened, Louise longs to turn her back on the past, and create a happy new life for Davey. But Paul is in trouble with men more dangerous than himself. Unable to pay his debts, he blackmails Louise and those who love her, keeping a shadowy presence in their lives. Even the arrival of Charlie Fox, a stranger who becomes a true friend, cannot guarantee that the future will be safe...

What Amazon readers are saying about The Bad Apple:

'Rosie's writing style enables you to envision the characters so clearly they seem to be truly alive. She hooks you in and you can't get loose from her gripping words! This story has surprising twists also. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it makes you think. I'm a fairly fast reader, but it took 1/2 a box of tissues and nearly an hour for me to get through 3 pages near the end of this book because I couldn't stop sobbing!'

'This is the first book I have read by Rosie Goodwin and to say it's fantastic is an understatement! I couldn't put it down and it had me reaching for the tissues on more than one occasion. It's the most believable and touching book I have ever read'