The Golden Hour

She loves him. She's happy. But could she be happier?

'Capturing humour in the small, perfectly skewered moments of everyday life, this is a story of small, largely middle-class lives enclave, made golden by the light that Nicholson shines on them' Sunday Times

'Nicholson is a subtle and addictive writer who deserves to be a household name' Observer

Maggie and Andrew are lovers who live apart - Maggie in the country, Andrew in town. When Andrew is offered a job close to Maggie, moving in with her is the obvious next step.

Or is it? Is this the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with?

Maggie panics. She ends their relationship, devastating Andrew. But when he turns the tables on her, she begins to see him differently.

Meanwhile, Maggie's Sussex neighbours are living through their own intense dilemmas. The stories of Maggie and other characters entwine in a continuous dance over seven golden days of high summer - a human kaleidoscope that captures how passionate yet mundane, painful yet comic our everyday lives can be.

These are seven golden days of summer ... time enough for relationships to change for ever...

“'You'll love it ... so intimate, so socially spot on ... Nicholson writes beautifully about love, tear-jerkingly well about parents and children' Daily Mail.”

'Nicholson is a subtle and addictive writer who deserves to be a household name ... [with] his remarkable eye for detail and for the weaknesses of human nature' Observer
'Nicholson's eye for human behaviour and talent for storytelling make this novel gripping and thoroughly enjoyable' Bookbag
'Rich in dialogue and humour' Express
'Nicholson's novel reflects back his readers' hopes and disappointments in soothing therapeutic prose' Independent
'Capturing humour in the small, perfectly skewered moments of everyday life, this is a story of small, largely middle-class lives enclave, made golden by the light that Nicholson shines on them' Sunday Times
'He writes with great emotional empathy ... richly detailed and acutely observed' The Times
'How does he make you care so much? As you read, you feel a deep compassion ... you turn the pages, addicted' Spectator
'You'll love it ... so intimate, so socially spot on ... Nicholson writes beautifully about love, tear-jerkingly well about parents and children' Daily Mail
'Nicholson's great strength lies in his ability to make the reader understand and care about his characters ... He is particularly concerned with morality and love, subjects that have inspired all great novelists. It is a joy to find a contemporary writer passionately engaged with both' Elizabeth Jane Howard

William Nicholson grew up in Sussex and was educated at Downside School and Christ's College, Cambridge. His plays for television include Shadowlands and Life Story, both of which won the BAFTA Best Television Drama award of their year. His first play, an adaptation of Shadowlands for stage, was Evening Standard's Best Play of 1990. He was co-writer on the film Gladiator, and his film writing credits include Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Les Miserables and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. He is married with three children and lives in Sussex. Visit his website at

Maggie and Andrew are lovers who live apart, but when Andrew is offered a job close to Maggie, moving in with her is the obvious next step. She panics. Maggie's neighbours are living through their own crises. Henry has a plague of rabbits in his garden, but hiring petty criminal Terry to extend the fencing turns out badly. Henry's wife Laura is secretly adored by her brother in law, Roddy. He hovers in the wings, waiting for his moment to pounce. And Alan's plans to convert a listed outbuilding are thwarted by a local planning officer - none other than Maggie.

She loves him. She's happy. But could she be happier? Maggie and Andrew are lovers who live apart - Maggie in the country, Andrew in town. When Andrew is offered a job close to Maggie, moving in with her is the obvious next step. Or is it? Is this the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with? Maggie panics. She ends their relationship, devastating Andrew. But when he turns the tables on her, she begins to see him differently. Meanwhile, Maggie's Sussex neighbours are living through their own intense dilemmas. The stories of Maggie and other characters entwine in a continuous dance over seven golden days of high summer - a human kaleidoscope that captures how passionate yet mundane, painful yet comic our everyday lives can be.

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