What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

Hi, this is my first post here, so I hope I do this right!

I read this book in about 2004/2005, but I suspect it could be from as far back as the eighties, though it had a nineties feel to it. It's a book for adults, and would probably be classed as a thriller or drama, with some paranormal evidence. It's a physical book, not an audio one.

The basic plot is a group of women meet on the same day, on the same place every year. They're all quite successful, and this is down to a ritual they performed as teenagers. But then one of them doesn't show up one year, and bad things start happening. I think.

I think it might have had the word Lottie in the title, but I could be wrong. It could also be lottery or something completely different.

Other details I remember (spoilers):
A woman has a mixed race child who suffers racism.
A child nearly wanders onto some train tracks.
They talk to the curse/ghost/presence.
I think it ends with someone sacrificing themselves to save the rest.

Bump!

Hi Amy, good luck on finding your book. We have a lot of readers who find books everyday.

The general protocol for bumping a thread is to wait at least once a month. Of course, if you remember additional details, write a new comment any time to get that extra bump!

Blood Games by Richard Laymon?

Amy, would you describe this as a horror novel as well?

What's the location - woods, mountains, coast, big or small city, etc.?

Who are the other characters in the story?

It definitely has horror elements in it, but I don't think it would be classed as horror novel.

It was mainly set in a small town/suburbs, but it did pan locations. A lot of the action took places in houses and fields.

There were husbands and children, but they were very minor characters compared to the four women. I can't remember much of the names, but they were mainly middle-class, and one was very snobby.

Where do the women meet every year?

What do you remember about the woman who doesn't show up?

They meet on the steps of a public building, most likely an art gallery or museum. It's not in an isolated place, there are members of the public going by.

Barely anything unfortunately. She might have been snobby or ditzy though. She either didn't come because she thought the idea was stupid, and there was no curse/ghost/oath, or she simply forgot.

I have remembered that the cover was a cream colour, if that helps even a little.

What's the location - England/U.S./country, big city/small town, etc.?

On what day of the year (or season) do they meet?

We can rule of these books which are too recent, right?
The Girls of August by Anne Rivers Siddons
The Bitches of Brooklyn by Rosemary Harris
As Close As Sisters by Colleen Faulkner

Can it be Gibbon's Decline and Fall?

It's England, and most of the action is set in smaller cities. They meet in Summer I believe.

Another detail I remember: the woman with a mixed race child receives a anonymous phonecall giving her racist abuse.

It's none of those sorry!

Lottie? I just noticed that you said it might have been titled that. I am not sure whether it fits but there is something about meeting every eleven years in it: http://www.jacquelinejacques.co.uk/bo...

Edit: not every year - every eleven years

Yes, that's it, thank you!!!