The Beautiful Mother

'You are her mother in this moment. The future is another time.'In a remote part of Tanzania known as the Cradle of Humankind, Essie Lawrence lives with her husband in an archaeologist’s camp. One morning a chance encounter with two strangers out in the field sees her making a rash promise – one she has no idea how she can keep. When she returns home, she has a baby in her arms, a motherless infant, too young even to have a name. From now until the coming of the rains, Essie is to care for the little girl. And then hand her back.Bringing a baby to the research base is just the first of many taboos Essie is about to break. As she becomes immersed in a life-changing experience, she finds that her marriage, her career – everything she’s worked for – is put at risk.An exquisite and heart-piercing story of one woman’s bond with a baby, The Beautiful Mother will resonate with every parent, crossing time, place and culture. It is an unforgettable exploration of what it really means to be a family.

Katherine Scholes was born in Tanzania, the daughter of a missionary doctor and an artist. She has fond memories of going on safaris to remote areas where her father operated a clinic from his Land Rover. When she was ten the family left Tanzania, going first to England, then migrating to Australia. She now lives in Tasmania but makes regular trips back to Africa where many of her books are set. She is the author of international bestsellers including The Rain Queen, Make Me an Idol, The Stone Angel, The Hunter's Wife and The Lioness. She is particularly popular in Europe where she has sold over two million books. Her novel The Blue Chameleon won a New South Wales State Literary Award and The Stone Angel was longlisted in the International Dublin Literary Awards. Her work has been translated into over a dozen languages, and includes children’s titles as well as novels for adults. She has also worked as a documentary filmmaker. Jessica Tovey is an Australian actress. She graduated from the Newtown High School of the Performing Arts and has made appearances for various drama companies. She is best known for her role of Belle Taylor on the long-running soap opera Home and Away. Tovey joined the show in 2006 and was nominated for two Logie Awards during her time there. She appeared in Underbelly: The Golden Mile in 2010 and Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo in 2011.

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