
Welcome to the website of Abigail Johnson, author of The Secret Collector
The Secret Collector
Publishing 10th April 2025 – available to pre-order now!
An uplifting and warm story about friendship across generations, the power of community and finding hope where it had been lost. Perfect for fans of Sally Page’s The Keeper of Stories and Evie Woods's The Lost Bookshop.
When an elderly eccentric collector and a troubled teen become each other's only hope of getting their lives back on track, what can possibly go wrong?
Alfred is an elderly widower who uses antiques and collectibles to fill the hole in his heart left by his late wife. Kian is a lost teen who has been let down by the care system and finds it difficult staying on the straight and narrow.
After Kian throws a brick through Alfred's window, the shock sends Alfred to hospital and a social worker to his home, where his hoarding becomes impossible to ignore.
Begrudgingly, and at the request of the authorities, they both agree to enrol Kian on a restorative justice programme, helping to make Alfred’s home liveable again. The only problem: Alfred doesn't want to throw any of his treasures away, and he certainly doesn’t want Kian for company.
What unfolds is a surprising and delightful journey of two characters who help each other more than they ever could have anticipated and, along the way, form the unlikeliest of friendships.
Readers are loving The Secret Collector:
'A novel of pure joy'
'I really wanted to stay within the pages for longer'
'Charming!'
'Wow did it blow me away'
'If there was a moral to this story I think it would be, "It only takes one person who believes in you to change your life"'
I’m an author in the West Midlands writing books with an uplifting feel. It wasn’t until I turned 40 and took voluntary redundancy from my job that I decided to take writing seriously and took an introductory novel writing course with the Faber Academy. The Secret Collector is my debut novel and is set in my hometown of Birmingham. I am currently writing my second novel.
About Abigail
“Something wonderful can be found in what appears to be worthless.”
— Alfred, The Secret Collector