Cuckoo in the Nest: A glorious coming of age story set in the summer of 1976

It's the heatwave summer of 1976, and 14-year-old would-be poet Jackie Chadwick is newly fostered by the Walls. She desperately needs stability, but their insecure, jealous teenage daughter isn't happy about the cuckoo in the nest and sets about ousting her.

When her attempts to do so lead to near-tragedy—and the Walls' veneer of middle-class respectability begins to crumble—everyone in the household is forced to reassess what really matters.

Funny and poignant, ´Cuckoo in the Nest´ is inspired by Fran Hill's own experience of being fostered. The glorious coming-of-age story set in the summer of 1976 will delight fans of Nina Stibbe and Joanna Glen.

'Vivid, funny, nostalgic and utterly charming' - Veronica Henry

'Laugh out loud funny, yet heartbreakingly sad' - Frances Quinn

'Fresh, authentic and darkly funny. I absolutely loved it' - Ruth Hogan, bestselling author of ´The Keeper of Lost Things´

Fran Hill is an English teacher and writer. She has written extensively for the Times Educational Supplement and lives in Warwickshire. ´Cuckoo in the Nest´ is based on Fran’s own experience of being fostered.

© 2025 SAGA Egmont (Ebook): 9788727273259

Release date

Ebook: July 10, 2025