Home Stretch

'[A] compelling, bighearted, emotionally precise page-turner.' THE SUNDAY TIMES

'Beautiful and heartbreaking.' PANDORA SYKES

'A real page-turner, the kind of warmth and magical storytelling that puts me in mind of the late, great Maeve Binchy... a writer of real strength and talent.' LORRAINE KELLY

'intelligent and tenderly observed' THE TIMES

'Full of heart and humanity and I loved every single page. What a storyteller!' ELIZABETH DAY

'a thoughtful examination of sexual identity, shame, and the impact of collective grief' OBSERVER

'Graham Norton's new novel has me in floods... His gift for characterisation is positively Binchy-esque! Such nuance and warmth! It's GORGEOUS' MARIAN KEYES

'I loved HOME STRETCH ... one of those books that stays with you so long after you've finished it' NIGELLA LAWSON 'A subtle portrait of small-town Ireland; an unblinking study of shame & homophobia; a map of cultural shifts between 1980s & now; a kind, wise, perceptive novel by an author rich in these qualities.' DAVID MITCHELL

'Beautifully written. Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy read. Utterly fantastic.' LIZ NUGENT

'Graham Norton's examination of small-town Irish lives continues in his deeply moving third novel. He is a magnificent writer.' JOHN BOYNE

'[Graham Norton is a] king of the page turners... A total triumph' ANNE GRIFFIN

'What right has such a successful entertainer to write a novel as good as this?' SUNDAY EXPRESS

Shame and longing can flow through generations, but the secrets of the heart will not be buried for ever.

It is 1987 and a small Irish community is preparing for a wedding. The day before the ceremony a group of young friends, including bride and groom, drive out to the beach. There is an accident. Three survive, but three are killed.

The lives of the families are shattered and the rifts between them are felt throughout the small town. Connor is one of the survivors. But staying among the angry and the mourning is almost as hard as living with the shame of having been the driver. He leaves the only place he knows for another life, taking his secrets with him. Travelling first to Liverpool, then London, he makes a home - of sorts - for himself in New York. The city provides shelter and possibility for the displaced, somewhere Connor can forget his past and forge a new life.

But the secrets, the unspoken longings and regrets that have come to haunt those left behind will not be silenced. And before long, Connor will have to confront his past.

Graham Norton's powerful and timely novel of emigration and

“Atmospheric, creepy and impossible to put down. - The TimesA compelling and moving story, expertly told, that will draw you in and keep you in its grip until the last page. - Daily ExpressMagnificent ... his writing is evocative and perfect. His grasp of human loneliness and longing is beautiful and comforting. - Marian KeyesI raved about Holding two years ago ... A Keeper is even better. A powerful, very sad story, beautiful writing, two time frames that are perfectly balanced. Outstanding. Will easily be one of my books of 2018. - John BoyneA gripping, thoughtful tale about the search for identity, belonging and self-possession. - ObserverMoving and darkly funny. - Good HousekeepingSmart, well-written and thoroughly entertaining. - Irish IndependentIt's a sad and lovely book, brimful of tenderness and compassion, where the revelations of the past upturn the perceptions of the present. - Sunday Express”

"Excellent. . . . With surprising twists and touching moments, Norton explores the immense sense of loss that comes with being a survivor, and how nothing is ever truly forgotten for the families of those who died. . . . Norton delicately covers themes of abandonment, death, and loss with sophistication and thoughtful empathy. . . . This gripping and compassionate outing is Norton's best yet." -- Publishers Weekly

"A subtle portrait of small-town Ireland; an unblinking study of shame & homophobia; a map of cultural shifts between 1980s & now; a kind, wise, perceptive novel by an author rich in these qualities." -- David Mitchell

"Intelligent and tenderly observed novel." -- The Times (UK)

"He is a deftly skilled writer who has honed a prose style that suits his stories perfectly . . . traversing tragedy and humour with equal aplomb. . . . Home Stretch is a wonderful display." -- Irish Times

"Norton's third novel is a thoughtful examination of sexual identity, shame, and the impact of collective grief." -- Observer

"Norton has all of her [Maeve Binchy's] ability to write about sadness and cruelty, while investing his story with immense warmth. What right has such a successful entertainer to pen a novel as good as this?" -- Mirror

"Norton's best yet!" -- Woman's Weekly

"Norton has a knack for capturing the sturdy, melancholic small-town Irish life where secrets are only revealed when they have to be, and even then in a controlled fashion. His characters come to vivid life, sweeping readers up in this quiet, affecting novel." -- Booklist

"Graham Norton's new novel has me in floods... His gift for characterisation is positively Binchy-esque! Such nuance and warmth! It's GORGEOUS" -- Marian Keyes

"I loved HOME STRETCH ... one of those books that stays with you so long after you've finished it" -- Nigella Lawson

"Graham Norton's examination of small-town Irish lives continues in his deeply moving third novel. He is a magnificent writer." -- John Boyne

Graham Norton is one of the UK's most treasured comedians and presenters. Born in Clondalkin, a suburb of Dublin, Norton's first big TV appearance was as Father Noel Furlong on Channel 4's Father Ted in the early 1990s. He then secured a prime time slot on Channel 4 with his chat shows So Graham Norton and V Graham Norton . Known for his quick wit Graham began hosting a variety of talent shows on BBC One from Strictly Dance Fever and Andrew Lloyd Webber's How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? to The Eurovision Song Contest and BAFTAs. Graham was soon approached by the BBC to front his own self-titled chat show The Graham Norton Show in 2007. Graham Norton has won 9 BAFTAs for Best Entertainment Performance, and Best Entertainment Programme. He presents The Graham Norton Show on BBC1, a show on BBC Radio 2 every Saturday, and is a judge on RuPaul's Drag Race UK. Norton won the Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards in 2017.

'Graham is a lovely writer and this is by far his best. The passage of time is beautifully handled, and the emergence of Ireland into the modern world is a joy to read... There's a lovely kindness and a fundamental goodness at the heart of this book. A great read!' RUSSELL T. DAVIES 'A real page-turner, the kind of warmth and magical storytelling that puts me in mind of the late, great Maeve Binchy... a writer of real strength and talent.' LORRAINE KELLY'[A] compelling, bighearted, emotionally precise page-turner.' THE SUNDAY TIMES 'Beautiful and heartbreaking.' PANDORA SYKES 'Graham Norton's bestselling novel gives a warm and perceptive account of tragedy, self-discovery and forgiveness in a tightly knit community.' THE DAILY MAIL 'intelligent and tenderly observed' THE TIMES 'Full of heart and humanity and I loved every single page. What a storyteller!' ELIZABETH DAY 'a thoughtful examination of sexual identity, shame, and the impact of collective grief' OBSERVER 'Graham Norton's new novel has me in floods... His gift for characterisation is positively Binchy-esque! Such nuance and warmth! It's GORGEOUS' MARIAN KEYES 'I loved HOME STRETCH ... one of those books that stays with you so long after you've finished it' NIGELLA LAWSON 'A subtle portrait of small-town Ireland; an unblinking study of shame & homophobia; a map of cultural shifts between 1980s & now; a kind, wise, perceptive novel by an author rich in these qualities.' DAVID MITCHELL 'Beautifully written. Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy read. Utterly fantastic.' LIZ NUGENT 'Graham Norton's examination of small-town Irish lives continues in his deeply moving third novel. He is a magnificent writer.' JOHN BOYNE '[Graham Norton is a] king of the page turners... A total triumph' ANNE GRIFFIN 'What right has such a successful entertainer to write a novel as good as this?' SUNDAY EXPRESS Shame and longing can flow through generations, but the secrets of the heart will not be buried for ever. It is 1987 and a small Irish community is preparing for a wedding. The day before the ceremony a group of young friends, including bride and groom, drive out to the beach. There is an accident. Three survive, but three are killed. The lives of the families are shattered and the rifts between them are felt throughout the small town. Connor is one of the survivors. But staying among the angry and the mourning is almost as hard as living with the shame of having been the driver. He leaves the only place he knows for another life, taking his secrets with him. Travelling

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