The Catalyst

Rose Elmsworth has a secret.

For eighteen years, the world has been divided into the magically Gifted and the non-magical Ashkind, but Rose's identity is far more dangerous. At fifteen, she has earned herself a place alongside her father in the Department, a brutal law-enforcement organisation run by the Gifted to control the Ashkind.

But now an old enemy is threatening to start a catastrophic war, and Rose faces a challenging test of her loyalties.How much does she really know about her father's past? How far is the Department willing to go to keep the peace? And, if the time comes, will Rose choose to protect her secret, or the people she loves?

"Helena Coggan is only 15, and yet her debut novel has all the assurance of a writer in mid-stride. If young writers can overcome the stare of the blank page - and take care with characterisation - they can stand as an inspiration to all" ―Guardian

"At the heart of this hugely ambitious story, by a 15-year-old newcomer, is a great big universal truth - we all think we're different. The Catalyst takes this idea and runs with it. This is a stunning debut, exploding with life, ideas and passion" ―Daily Mail

"The Catalyst is a complicated, rich world of magic and danger. While it seems simple at first, nothing is black and white, and nothing is what it seems. Both fantastical and startlingly relevant and contemporary, it's tense, exciting, engaging and has at its heart a central character whose incredibly personal story becomes caught up in huge battles and some even bigger ideas." ―Claire North, author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August