Joanna Briscoe’s The Seduction sees a woman seek help when her own adolescence comes back to haunt her, triggered by her daughter’s imminent thirteenth birthday. Intrigued by her therapist, Beth suggests they see each other outside the clinic. Tamara at first demurs but then agrees, insisting on discretion. By the time the planned family trip to the States comes around, Beth is caught in the grips of a full blown obsession, heedless of anything else. It took me a little while to get into this one – a wee bit too much descriptive writing for me – but once its pace took off, I was gripped.
Elizabeth Ames’ The Other’s Gold follows a set of friends from young adulthood into later life, a catnip structure for me. Four students, all with childhood demons to face down, become roommates in their first year. Each of the four will make a dreadful mistake as they move from their wild student days into 
Childhood demons put in an appearance in Irish poet Susannah Dickey’s debut Tennis Lessons, a dark coming-of-age novel which follows its unnamed narrator from her childhood into her late twenties, unfolding the story of a young woman, out of step with her peers, struggling to find a niche for herself. Dickey leaves much unsaid, crediting her readers with the intelligence to infer, and her book is all the better for it. Not always a comfortable read but a witty, compassionate one which champions the value of friendship.
Beginning in the roaring Celtic Tiger years of the early noughties, Caoilinn Hughes’ The Wild Laughter explores family, faith and death. Two very different brothers are held together by the father they dub the Chief. Even when it’s clear he’s mortally ill, the Chief continues to work, chipping away at the debts that have ruined him. Then he makes an oblique request to his sons which they both interpret in the same way. The question is how to accomplish it and who will bear the brunt. There’s a rich vein of very black humour running through this novel until it reaches its sombre closing chapters. I found Hughes’ vernacular style tricky at first but grew accustomed to it, enjoying her sardonic, snarky observations.
That’s it for May’s first batch of paperbacks, all but one tried and tested. As ever, a click on a title will take you either to my review or to a more detailed synopsis, and if you’d like to catch up with May’s new fiction it’s here and here. Part two soon…
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I have a review copy of A Hundred Million Years and a Day so now I’m really looking forward to reading it.
I hope you enjoy it, Cathy. It left quite an impression on me.
The Harpy is going right to the top of my pile!
Delighted to hear that, Cathy!
I recall your passion for The Harpy from your previous hardback previews. Such an arresting cover too, definitely one that would stock the casual browser in their tracks.
I’m glad they kept it for the paperback edition, Jacqui. Very sorry not to see this one on the Women’s Prize for Fiction longlist.
I remember it being very high on your wishlist…
My hopes are pinned on Annabel Lyon’s Consent now.
A really interesting selection again. I am considering suggesting a couple of these to my book group.
Pleased to hear that, Ali. I hope you find lots to discuss if you do choose one.
I knew I wanted to read The Harpy because I really liked The End We Start From, but I’m also drawn to Tennis Lessons. I’m always tempted by poets who move to longer forms, my theory is they write tautly!
Absolutely agree with your comment about poets. Both Hunter and Dickey illustrate that point well.
So many intriguing books coming out now – publishers must be getting back into the swing after Covid, I think. A Hundred Million Years and a Day is the one that catches my eye from this batch – onto the wishlist!
Yes, some of those long delayed titles are beginning to surface. A Hundred Million… is one of those little gems easily overlooked.
A Hundred Million Years and a Day is excellent. I read it last year and really enjoyed it: https://wordsandpeace.com/2020/06/12/book-review-a-hundred-million-years-and-a-day/
It’s excellent, isn’t it.
I echo the comments on the strangely arresting cover for The Harpy. That would definitely make me pick up a copy to read the blurb. (Not that I’d need to, after your coverage of it.) Interesting to hear that you’re hoping for Consent now…I hope you’re able to find some of her earlier work (perhaps she’ll be more in demand over there with the progression on the list.
Sadly, Consent didn’t make the cut to the shortlist but I’m glad it got the extra exposure of being longlisted. Still mystified at the non-sppearance of The Harpy, though.