HIDDEN

FROM THE AUTHOR OF NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER 'DAMAGED' COMES THE POIGNANT AND SHOCKING MEMOIR OF CATHY'S RECENT RELATIONSHIP WITH TAYO, A YOUNG BOY SHE FOSTERS WHOSE GOOD BEHAVIOUR AND POLITE MANNERS HIDE A TERRIBLE PAST. TAYO ARRIVES AT CATHY'S WITH ONLY THE CLOTHES HE STANDS UP IN. HE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO HER BY THE POLICE, BUT HE IS CALM, POLITE, AND VERY WELL SPOKEN, AND NOT AT ALL LIKE THE CHILDREN SHE NORMALLY FOSTERS. THE SOCIAL WORKER GIVES CATHY THE FORMS WHICH SHOULD CONTAIN TAYO'S HISTORY, BUT APART FROM HIS NAME AND AGE, IT IS BLANK. TAYO HAS NO PAST. TAYO IS AN 'INVISIBLE' CHILD, KIDNAPPED FROM HIS LOVING FATHER IN NIGERIA AND BROUGHT ILLEGALLY TO THE UK BY HIS DRINK AND DRUGS DEPENDENT PROSTITUTE MOTHER, WHERE HE IS PUT TO WORK IN A SWEAT SHOP IN CENTRAL LONDON. WHEN HE SUSTAINS AN INJURY AND IS NO LONGER EARNING, HE IS CAST OUT. WHEN CATHY TAKES TAYO TO SCHOOL HE POINTS OUT A DOZEN DIFFERENT ADDRESSES WHERE HE HAS STAYED IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, OFTEN BEING LEFT ALONE. TAYO LI