FIVE SIBLINGS AT 23

In every family, there is one secret that could change everything, and one person who knows the whole story.

On his 23rd birthday, Charlie Fletcher tells his dying mother that he’s gay. In return, she reveals a long-hidden truth, one so powerful it will cast a shadow over the lives of Charlie and his brothers and sisters for decades to come.

The Fletchers are a family with more than their fair share of skeletons in the closet, and as one of their most closely guarded secrets is finally revealed, what other revelations could be waiting? A forgotten photograph of a young boy at Christmas, a letter sealed for more than twenty years, and a dark truth that threatens to tear the family apart.

From the windswept coast of Southend-on-Sea to the golden light of Gran Canaria, each of the five Fletcher children must face their own challenges, when they reach the fateful age of 23.

“Paul Ilett writes so beautifully, his words woven in such a way that they will draw you into the book, and keep you captivated to the last page.”
Victor Nwabuisi, The Online Bookclub

‘Five Siblings at 23’ is an epic family saga spanning more than 20 years. Readers around the world have fallen in love with the Fletcher family and praised the novel’s deeply emotional story and characters who are so real, you will believe you actually know them. An absolute page-turner, it will keep you reading into the middle of the night.