Maggie's tree - Julie Walters

Oscar-nominated star of Educating Rita and Billy Elliot's darkly funny debut novel.

Cissie is a stand-up comedienne and national darling.

Helena is the toast of Broadway.

Maggie is an extremely beautiful but troubled actress - and she's cracking up fast, in fact she's 'out of her tree'.

When Cissie takes Maggie to see Helena in New York, it leads to trouble straight away: Maggie disappears into the freezing February night, no one knows where.

As the search for their friend continues, alarming divisions occur in the lifelong friendships of Cissie, Helena and her stoic husband Luke.

And then Cissie disappears too.

So, two of the closest of friends are lost separately somewhere in snowbound Manhattan.

Julie Walter's dark and very funny first novel is as assured as her celebrated work for stage, television and the cinema.

It is a brilliant debut.