We are saddened to share the news of the passing of Sally Tarpey.
Sally Tarpey’s writing career saw the publication of the Truscott Family sagas, inspired by the true story of her grandfather’s first wife. Her debut novel, THE COUNTRY GIRL, was published in 2023 by Joffe Books, with a sequel, THE COUNTRY SISTERS, following later that year and a third saga in the Truscott trilogy due to be published posthumously. Heartbreaking yet uplifting, Sally’s sagas are characterised by a combination of hardship and hope, and take readers through the outbreak of the First World War, the Roaring Twenties and will conclude with the culmination of World War Two.
Kate Lyall Grant writes: “I was lucky enough to be Sally Tarpey’s editor, working with her on the Truscott Family sagas, her wonderfully warm-hearted and absorbing tales of a family of hardworking Hampshire farming folk in the early years of the twentieth century. Sally was a natural storyteller, whose novels – partly inspired by Sally’s own family history – offer a fascinating insight into the complicated lives and very real troubles experienced by women of that time. Sally’s books really touched readers’ hearts and, in the Truscott Trilogy, she has left a lasting legacy which readers will enjoy for many years to come.”
Saskia Leach writes: “I feel beyond privileged to have worked with Sally Tarpey as her literary agent. Sally was one of the very first authors I came to represent and I will forever be thankful to her for trusting me with the powerful story of the Truscott family. I have such fond memories of the day of the book launch for Sally’s debut novel, The Country Girl. As people poured into the upstairs room of her local bookshop, there was standing room only as Sally was interviewed by the bookstore owner about her writing journey and read the opening chapter of The Country Girl to an utterly enraptured crowd. I will never forget how much love there was in the room for Sally, and her sheer writing talent has and will continue to move readers.”
On behalf of the whole family, Sally’s son Luke writes: “To say our mum was extremely passionate about the arts would be a massive understatement: she instilled a deep appreciation of all creative pursuits in us from an early age, taking us to art galleries, museums, gigs, theatres and much more besides, but it was always her love of literature that shone the brightest. She read her bedtime stories to myself, my sister Kate and her grandchildren John and Elle with such enthusiasm and passion she transported us into the stories themselves. Teaching was her main vocation but when she retired, Mum set about the task of getting her work published with her usual determination and self belief. She achieved her goal when Joffe Books said yes to The Country Girl – it’s impossible to put into words how proud we are of her and how grateful we are to Joffe Books for helping make Mum’s dream a reality. To see her go on to publish a second, and to know a third will soon be published in such a short amount of time is testament to her talent as a writer and an incredible legacy to leave behind.”
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