A family home, full of secrets. The gripping, heartbreaking novel by top ten bestseller Jenny Eclair
A family home, full of secrets. The gripping, heartbreaking novel by top ten bestseller Jenny Eclair
Edwina Spinner has lived in the same house for over fifty years. It used to be a busy, crowded family home but now Edwina lives alone and it has grown too big for her. She has decided to sell it.
The young estate agent who comes to value the house sees potential. Knock down a few walls, add a wet room. 'People like a project.' But as Edwina takes him from room to room, she is transported back to her old life as a young mother. Back to her first husband Ollie and their twins, Charlie and Rowena. Back to lies and dark secrets and to a stepson whose name Edwina cannot even bear to speak aloud. As Edwina's story unravels she is revealed as a complex and intriguing person. Not just the 'frail old lady' trapped in her dated house, but a woman who has lived an extraordinary life, full of love and tragedy. Why is she now so alone? What happened to Edwina's family all those years ago?MOVING - Jenny Eclair's fourth novel - reveals a writer at the height of her powers. Gripping, heart-breaking and laced with black humour, it is a novel of family secrets, shocking betrayals and most of all, of home.“Wonderfully written, insightful and riveting”
Utterly compelling, brave, angry and melancholy all at once. It is brutal about the female experience, but also beautifully observed about the subtle complexities of being a woman. I thought Jean was an amazing character - and it is testament to Jenny's skill as a writer that despite some awful behaviour, the reader never actually loses sympathy for her. Most of all, it's just a great, honest piece of writing. I want to read her others now
Of course it's funny, but it's also dark, honest and totally compulsive readingVery dark and very funny. I had it glued to my face until I'd finished itStand-up comedian Jenny Eclair was the first woman to win the Perrier Award - the UK's top comedy award - in 1995. Since then, Jenny has taken multiple shows on tour around the country, most recently Sixty! (FFS) which was extended twice due to its popularity. Jenny is well known for her starring role on BBC1's Grumpy Old Women which ran for three series and was then adapted into four live shows touring across the UK and Australia, all of which Jenny co-wrote and starred in. Continuing her partnership with Judith Holder, producer of Grumpy Old Women, Jenny co-hosts the podcast Older and Wider the podcast for people who don't know what a podcast is, a weekly ramble about life, with additional swearing. She is also the writer of the much-loved BBC Radio Four Little Lifetimes monologues which ran for seven series. Jenny was a contestant on series 15 of Taskmaster (Channel 4) and currently hosts the spin off podcast Taskmaster: The People's Podcast. Eclair is also a critically acclaimed author with seven novels, a collection of short stories and a number of non-fiction books under her belt.
Jenny's TV appearances include Grumpy Old Women S1-3, Richard Osman's House of Games, Celebrity MasterChef, The Great Pottery Throw Down Festive Celebrity Special, Drawers Off (presenter), The Apprentice: You're Fired!, Room 101, Celebrity Bridge of Lies (BBC), Taskmaster S15 (Channel 4), Loose Women, Pointless Celebrities, The Chase: Celebrity Special (ITV), Alan Davies As Yet Untitled, QI (UKTV). Reality TV appearances include Splash and I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here (ITV) in 2010, in which Jenny came third.The top ten bestseller It only took one night to tear a family apart. Artist and illustrator Edwina Spinner used to have a busy family life. Now she lives alone, in a house that has grown too big for her. She has decided to sell it. As Edwina takes the estate agent from room to room, she finds herself transported back to her life as a young mother. Back to her twins, Rowena and Charlie, and a stepson she cannot bring herself to mention by name. As the house reveals its secrets, Edwina is forced to confront her family's past, and a devastating betrayal that changed everything. But Edwina doesn't know the whole story. And to discover the truth, she will have to face the one person she vowed never to see again. 'Compelling, compassionate and keenly observed' Independent 'A tender and bittersweet story, examining love, bereavement and memory ... heartbreaking but life-affirming' Sunday Mirror 'Edwina's story is both heart-rending and compelling' Clare Mackintosh, author of I Let You Go 'A gripping novel of family secrets and shocking betrayals' Cathy Rentzenbrink, Prima
Edwina Spinner has lived in the same house for over fifty years. It used to be a busy, crowded family home but now Edwina lives alone and it has grown too big for her. She has decided to sell it.The young estate agent who comes to value the house sees potential. Knock down a few walls, add a wet room. 'People like a project.' But as Edwina takes him from room to room, she is transported back to her old life as a young mother. Back to her first husband Ollie and their twins, Charlie and Rowena. Back to lies and dark secrets and to a stepson whose name Edwina cannot even bear to speak aloud. As Edwina's story unravels she is revealed as a complex and intriguing person. Not just the 'frail old lady' trapped in her dated house, but a woman who has lived an extraordinary life, full of love and tragedy. Why is she now so alone? What happened to Edwina's family all those years ago? MOVING - Jenny Eclair's fourth novel - reveals a writer at the height of her powers. Gripping, heart-breaking and laced with black humour, it is a novel of family secrets, shocking betrayals and most of all, of home.
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.