Who is Pa Salt? The wait is over . . .
Who is Pa Salt? Over nine years and seven books, readers across the world have been waiting to find out the identity of the Seven Sisters' enigmatic adoptive father. Now, with the series finale, the answers are here. Here's a spoiler-free guide to everything you need to know about Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt.
Over 5.5 million people have followed the seven sisters of Lucinda Riley's phenomenally successful series as they've traced their origins around the globe, from Rio de Janeiro to the wilds of Scotland. Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt reveals how they came to be adopted by their father, Pa Salt, drawing the epic story to a stunning, unforgettable conclusion. Here we answer some of the questions that have been on all of ours minds since we first met Maia D’Aplièse and her sisters.
Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt
by Lucinda Riley
1928, Paris. A boy is found and taken in by a kindly family. He flourishes in his new home, and the family show him a life he hadn’t dreamed possible. But he refuses to speak a word about who he really is. 2008, the Aegean. The seven sisters are gathered together for the first time, on board the Titan, to say a final goodbye to the enigmatic father they loved so dearly. To the surprise of everyone, it is the missing sister who Pa Salt has chosen to entrust with the clue to their pasts. But for every truth revealed, another question emerges. Everything will be revealed in this epic conclusion to the Seven Sisters series.
Who is Pa Salt?
No spoilers here! We do know that Pa Salt is the elusive and adored adoptive father of the seven sisters. The series has gradually revealed tantalising clues to seven sisters' heritage and origins, culminating in this eighth and final book. To get to the bottom of who Pa Salt really is, you'll have to read Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt. We promise that all will be revealed and you won't be disappointed.
What is Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt about?
The final novel in the Seven Sisters series, Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt, opens in Paris in 1928. Throughout the book, secrets are revealed as we learn how and why the sisters were adopted by their beloved father, Pa Salt. As with other books in the series, we cross borders, oceans and decades to finally answer the question of all questions: who is Pa Salt?
When is Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt out?
The final novel in the Seven Sisters series is now out now! The book was published on the 11 May 2023. The paperback edition will be published on the 18 July 2024 and is available to pre-order now.
What are the other books in the Seven Sisters series?
There are seven other books in the series, starting with The Seven Sisters which focuses on Maia D’Aplièse, followed by six further books which explore the lives and backgrounds of each sister in turn. You can find out more about all the books in our guide below.
Are there any special editions of the Seven Sisters series?
Yes! Out on 22 August 2024, discover the 10th anniversary edition of the first book below.
The Seven Sisters
by Lucinda Riley
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Lucinda Riley’s iconic bestselling series, this stunning hardback collector’s edition is complete with a new foreword from Lucinda's son, Harry Whittaker, and gorgeous illustrated endpapers. This is the must-have addition to any fan's bookshelf, and the perfect gift.
Did Lucinda Riley finish Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt?
Following Lucinda’s death in 2021, Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt is a work of collaboration with her son Harry Whittaker.
Shortly before the publication of The Missing Sister, Lucinda announced an eighth and final book in The Seven Sisters series, promising to answer the question at the heart of the story: who is Pa Salt? Before her death, Lucinda was able to write several important passages and detailed notes on the story. She expressed a clear wish that her eldest son, Harry, should complete the series if the worst were to happen.
Stephen Riley, Lucinda's husband, and Harry Whittaker share their thoughts on the book below.
‘For Harry to finish off this hugely successful series – and to do it so brilliantly with this spectacular final book – must be one of the greatest writing achievements in contemporary publishing. My hat goes off to him.’
Stephen Riley
‘I must tell you that the novel itself is epic. It spans a lifetime of love and loss, crossing borders and oceans. Perhaps Lucinda’s greatest achievement is that no one has correctly identified the secret driving force behind the series – and there have been thousands of theories. Atlas will reward those who have loved the novels since the beginning, but there is a new story to tell, too (although it’s always been there, hidden quietly amongst the first 4,500 pages). Perhaps all I’m doing is removing the smokescreen. . . Working on Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt has been the challenge and privilege of a lifetime. It is Lucinda Riley’s parting gift, and I am so excited to deliver it. On 11 May 2023, the whole world will know just who Pa Salt is and why he adopted the sisters.’
Harry Whittaker
Is The Hidden Girl part of the Seven Sisters series?
Out on the 12 September 2024, The Hidden Girl is a standalone lost treasure from the global number one bestselling author Lucinda Riley.
Long before she became the bestselling author of The Seven Sisters series, Lucinda Riley wrote Hidden Beauty as Lucinda Edmonds. This novel has been reworked and given new life as The Hidden Girl by Harry Whittaker, Lucinda’s son and co-author of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt.
The Hidden Girl
by Lucinda Riley
Born and raised in a small village on the Yorkshire moors, Leah Thompson grows more beautiful with each passing day. When she catches the attention of the influential, troubled Delancey family, she knows her life will never be the same again. Years later, Leah has taken the modelling world by storm, and is living in the lap of luxury. But her past follows her like a dark shadow, mysteriously intertwined with the tragic tale of two young siblings in Poland during the Second World War. As two generations of secrets threaten to explode, Leah is haunted by a fatal, forgotten prophecy from her past, and must fight to challenge the destiny that has been mapped out for her in the stars . . .