Press Release
30th January 2026 | Paperback | £12.99 | 978-1919250403
Gifts - Lesley Bootiman
A story of fear, betrayal and a love that survives the cruellest separation...
Like many teenage girls growing up in the 60s, Bella Greig wants to be a pop star. When her dream becomes a reality, she leaves the close-knit community of the north-east behind for London. And with it, the pressures of a family driven by ambition and haunted by decades of trauma and a deadly secret. For she hasn’t just inherited her incredible musical talent but a terrifying legacy, the threat of Huntington’s Disease.
When quiet and reserved Maisie, Bella’s ‘aunt’, meets an older man at work, she dreams of finally having a loving family of her own. But Betty Greig, family matriarch, knows that life as an unwed mother is filled with problems of its own - and she isn’t prepared to have the respectability she has fought so hard for shattered by a foolish moment of passion.
And with Huntington’s waiting in the wings, the child stands to inherit more than disgrace and musical talent, there are lives at stake...
Lesley is available for interview and to write features.
For more information or review copies please contact:
‘This book, without being sensational, captures many of the issues families face as well as the secrecy that can shroud the illness.’
Cath Stanley, Chief Executive, The Huntington's Disease Association
‘Powerful and heartbreaking.’
Sue Clark, Note to a Boy and A Novel Solution
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lesley Bootiman is an award-winning comedy scriptwriter, newspaper and broadcast journalist.
Born in the north-east, she now lives between Bristol and Bath. Gifts is her first novel.
'A rare and beautifully written family saga in which a secret legacy haunts each generation.'
Barry Walsh, The Pimlico Kid and Danny Boy
'This book grabs you with real feelings about family and music’s power. It shows how past pain shapes us, but hope stays alive. Simple words make the hurt close and true. A strong read for those who like deep family tales.'
Book Reviews Cafe
16 February 2026
Listen here for Lesley's interview with Louise Hulland
BBC Norfolk
BBC Cambridgeshire
BBC Suffolk
2 February 2026
Listen now!
18 February 2026
“Gifts” by Lesley Bootiman tells a sad story about a family hit hard by Huntington’s disease. It passes down through generations, bringing pain and secrets. The main character, Maisie, shares her life with music that helps and hurts. She feels not good enough and watches over her niece, Bella, from afar. Bella is a young musician scarred by family troubles. The book looks at how families pass on problems, hold to old ways, and hope for better days.
The writing paints clear pictures of happy and sad times. Think Christmas in Newcastle with songs and simple fun, or quiet thoughts on death and guilt. Maisie wishes she could have kept Bella safe from dark family truths. Music acts like a knife—it heals pain but cuts deeper too. The family fights to fix old hurts while dreaming of peace.
The story feels real from the writer’s own life. Family meet-ups at Christmas and on Sundays show strict rules and clashing people. Aunt Betty bosses everyone with her firm ways. Granny works hard, looks sharp, and hides love under tough words. Warm moments mix with tight control, showing love and fights over who we are.
In Granny’s old house, kids play and dream of simple lives. Creaky stairs and plain rooms hold fun games and music on the radio. The older kids sneak listen to jazz and blues, full of feeling. This wild sound fights Granny’s strict rules for a proper life. Family talks show hope, worry, and the pull to be yourself.
A girl shines on stage with a piano and violin. She wins claps for easy pieces but struggles to feel the music. Later, as a teen, she plays safe at first, then lets out her raw heart in a big song. It shows her fight to break free from what others expect. Bella thinks back on family secrets too—granny’s control, aunts’ strong ways, and mixed love.
This book grabs you with real feelings about family and music’s power. It shows how past pain shapes us, but hope stays alive. Simple words make the hurt close and true. A strong read for those who like deep family tales.
18 February 2026
A recent post from the Huntington's Disease Association
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