Small Spaces
Age 14+
Thrillers
Small Spaces is a gripping YA thriller from debut Australian author Sarah Epstein, perfect for fans of Fleur Ferris. 14+.
“We don’t pick and choose what to be afraid of. Our fears pick us.”
Tash Carmody has been traumatised since childhood, when she witnessed her gruesome imaginary friend Sparrow lure young Mallory Fisher away from a carnival. At the time nobody believed Tash, and she has since come to accept that Sparrow wasn’t real. Now fifteen and mute, Mallory’s never spoken about the week she went missing. As disturbing memories resurface, Tash starts to see Sparrow again. And she realises Mallory is the key to unlocking the truth about a dark secret connecting them. Does Sparrow exist after all? Or is Tash more dangerous to others than she thinks?
"A beautifully crafted psychological thriller. I couldn't put it down." Fleur Ferris
Creators
Sarah Epstein spent her childhood drawing, daydreaming and cobbling together books at the kitchen table. A writer, illustrator and designer, she grew up in suburban Sydney and now lives in Melbourne with her husband and two sons. She is passionate about YA, especially the thriller genre, which is her favourite to read. Small Spaces is her first novel.
Reviews
Small Spaces is a remarkable debut psychological thriller by Aussie author Sarah Epstein. The story will give you shivers and is full of twists and turns which you must decide are real or all made up in the character’s head.
Fictional Realm
Epstein has a keen eye for family dynamics and the small moments of disillusionment with adults that occur throughout childhood. The story is similarly thoughtful about the emotional toll of women whose stories aren’t believed.
Books+Publishing
Small Spaces is a clever, highly entertaining read and an impressive debut from a thoughtful writer who knows how to weave contemporary concerns of mental illness through a story with stampede intensity.
Better Reading
If you want a good psychological thriller, pick up Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein. Shake it before you read it…just to get the bad juju out but it’s still going to stare at you in the shadows, knock on your door at 3am and keep you tossing and turning because you’re too afraid to go get that glass of water you’ll be craving all night.
Boffin Books
Small Spaces is one of my new favourite thrillers! A+ characters who had me invested within mere pages and the type of creeptastic imaginary friend that will make you ban yourself from imaginary games forever! Such fun!
Paper Fury
A chillingly claustrophobic thriller.
Sunday Express Magazine
Small Spaces is a smart, fast-paced book, in which the line between reality and imagination is blurred. […] This is an intriguing, suspenseful read and I can’t wait to see what Sarah Epstein writes next.
YA Under My Skin
