Cut: The true story of an abandoned, abused little girl who was desperate to be part of a family

Cathy Glass

Jan 2009 · Sold by HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

Million-copy bestselling author Cathy Glass tells the story of Dawn, a sweet and seemingly well-balanced girl whose outward appearance masks a traumatic childhood of suffering at the hands of the very people who should have cared for her.

Dawn was the first girl Cathy Glass ever fostered. Sweet and seemingly well balanced girl, Dawn’s outward appearance masked a traumatic childhood so awful, that even she could not remember it.

During the first night, Cathy awoke to see Dawn looming above Cathy’s baby’s cot, her eyes staring and blank. She sleepwalks – which Cathy learns is often a manifestation in disturbed children. It becomes a regular and frightening occurrence, and Cathy is horrified to find Dawn lighting a match whilst mumbling it’s not my fault in her sleep one night.

Cathy discovers Dawn is playing truant from school, and struggling to make friends. More worryingly she finds her room empty one night, and her pillow covered in blood. Dawn has been self-harming in order to release the pain of her past.

When Dawn attempts suicide, Cathy realises that she needs more help than she can give. Dawn’s mother eventually confides in her that Dawn was sent away to live with relatives in Ireland between the ages of 5 and 9, and Cathy soon realises that the horrors Dawn was exposed to during this time have left her a very disturbed little girl.

Ratings and reviews

I loved the book-- I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. I found the grammar and punctuation difficult to deal with-- it's hard to tell when Cathy is speaking about due to the lack of quotation marks, and many of the sentences run on, making it difficult to follow at times. Overall, though, it was nice to finally read about Cathy's first foster child.

Oh My!... This one brought tears to my eyes especially at the end... Brilliant book and Well-Done! To Cathy for giving this little girl all the love and support she needed and of course John he was good with her too 🤗 I have not read these books in any order but this is the 1st ever one I think and it seemed funny with Adrian only a baby... Will now be looking for my next one to read but this is a 5 star from me 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 🤗👍

Cut was one of the first books I read by Cathy Glass, and I'm not going to be able to stop until I have read every one of them. Cut is a heart-breaking story about Dawn who had such a bad start in life. I was captured from the very first page. Cathy has a brilliant way of getting one to really feel what her characters are going through - I really felt Dawn's pain. I am amazed at how Cathy knows just what to say to a child, and her complete love she feels for a complete stranger.

About the author

Cathy has been a foster carer for over 30 years, during which time she has looked after more than 150 children, of all ages and backgrounds. She has three teenage children of her own; one of whom was adopted after a long-term foster placement. The name Cathy Glass is a pseudonym.