When twelve-year-old Sherrie-Lee witnesses a failed bank robbery in her neglected town, she seizes an opportunity to claim a new identity for herself. Escaping her troubled home life, she tries out a new name and invents stories and personas to cover her tracks. Sherrie-Lee finds both possibility and loneliness in this new freedom, as well as an unusual friendship which she nurtures. But harsh realities close in, and she’s plagued with foreboding – from her vulnerable brother at home to the climate crisis. While she dreams of a kinder world, it won’t be long before her own deceits start catching up with her. This arresting debut challenges assumptions and captures the powerless yearning of adolescence with a voice that is fresh, magnetic and often funny – one that pulls you in and won’t let go.
REVIEWS OF Fossils
“A moving novel about resilience and compassion in the face of a hopeless future. You will fall in love with Armstrong's protagonist, and your heart will ache for a better future for her.” Kate Baguley
“A moving and vivid piece of storytelling … haunting, lyrical writing that is at all times compelling and frequently surprising.” Will Mackie, New Writing North
“Compelling. The prose bubbles and snaps with an energy that’s as changeable as its teen protagonist … a stunning, important novel about poverty and hopelessness, compassion and resilience.” Emily Devane