Truestory tells the blackly comic tale of Alice who is struggling to raise her son on the isolated farm he refuses to leave.  Sam has Asperger’s and an inner world hidden from his parents. 

Alice’s marriage to Duncan is failing and their farm verging on bankruptcy. Alice longs for the outside world, but everything changes when her husband brings home the mysterious Larry who has a plan to save them all.





Truestory was inspired by my experiences raising my daughter, Nina, who is autistic. Nina and I campaign for increased acceptance of autism. We have done events talking about books, writing and ‘life with autism’ in Edinburgh Central Library, Kilmarnock’s Dick Institute, Waterstones on Princes Street and the Scottish Parliament. 'The work we do raising acceptance of autism was featured here

‘Captivating, poignant and vivid’ - Dundee University Review of the Arts

'…moving but never mawkish, and ultimately hopeful,providing a sympathetic portrait of a family struggling with autism in straitened times. Sam's on-line interactions with a motley group of friends are laugh-out-loud funny.' - Sunday Mirror

'Sharply observed…a terrific read' - Glasgow Herald

‘I empathised with her (Alice) so much it was painful; and funny and moving and actually quite steamy in that polytunnel.’ - On the Literary Sofa with Isabel Costello

‘The story unrolls, dropping small detail after detail’ - Nudge Book

‘Vivid and empathetic’ - Lothian Life

‘Quirky, insightful & thought-provoking…a moving, well-crafted, engaging debut’ - Portobello Book Blog

‘I giggled and welled up at different times during the book, so prepare yourself for the roller-coaster journey’ - Novelicious

'Readers are in for big treats with Simpson's terrific novel - it's funny, poignant, perceptive…the plot races exhilaratingly along with never a dull moment.Highlights of the book are Sam's chat-room conversations which had me laughing out loud. Highly recommended.' - Val Hennessy