A Cut Above

The Sharp Turn of Fate

When spirited hairdresser Millie Thornton inherits the rundown Maple & Co. salon on the edge of Ashworth village, she envisions a fresh start—new clientele, bold styles, and the freedom to reinvent herself. But beneath the salon’s faded awning lies a tangle of local secrets: a missing bride whose veil was never found, whispered feuds between village families, and a mysterious trunk tucked behind the stylist’s chair. As Millie blows life back into the faded parlour—installing vintage mirrors, repainting walls in soft pastels, and mastering avant-garde cuts—she discovers that every snip of the scissors can reveal more than split ends. With each new client who takes a seat, long-buried stories drift to the surface like stray locks of hair.

Secrets Woven in Strands

Millie’s closest ally becomes her apprentice, the shy and perceptive teenager Rosie, whose keen eye for detail uncovers clues no one else notices—a torn photograph, a hastily scrawled appointment card, a lipstick smudge in an unlikely shade. Together, they trace the village’s hidden history: a forbidden wartime romance between the salon’s original owner and a soldier on leave; a bitter rivalry that erupted over a single misplaced curl; and a scandal that forced one family to vanish from the parish records. As hair dryers hum and shears click, Millie unravels a tapestry of love, loss, and betrayal woven into every strand.

Strength Behind the Scissors

Amid the swirl of foils and color treatments, friendships are tested and alliances are forged. Millie must navigate the demands of demanding brides, the wistful confessions of elderly patrons, and the disapproval of the local council keen to redevelop the historic High Street. When a sudden gale batters the village fête, threatening to tear down Millie’s new marquee and expose the trunk’s hidden contents to all, she must summon her courage—and her most daring haircut yet—to protect her salon’s future and the lives intertwined within its walls.

Author’s Description

.In writing A Cut Above, I wanted to celebrate the unbreakable bonds formed in small-town salons and to show how even the most ordinary scissors can unlock extraordinary truths. May Millie’s journey remind readers that every transformation—within hair and heart—begins with the courage to face the secrets we hide.