Keeping Mum

'Touching and often hilarious... A truly joyful read'

Press & Journal

Danny Malooley's life is falling apart.

He's a single parent with an eleven-year-old son, Will, who hasn't spoken since the death of his mother in a car crash fourteen months ago. He's being pursued by a dodgy landlord for unpaid rent and he's just lost his job. Struggling to find work, and desperate for money, Danny decides to do what anyone in his position would do.

He becomes a dancing panda.

After seeing street performers in his local park raking it in, he spends his last fiver on a costume... but the humiliation is worth it when Will finally speaks to him for the first time since his mother's death. The problem is Will doesn't know that the panda is in fact his father, and Danny doesn't want to reveal his true identity in case Will stops talking again.

But Danny can't keep up the ruse forever...

'Uplifting'

Woman & Home

A surprising, laugh-out-loud and uplifting story of a father and son reconnecting in the most unlikely of circumstances. For fans of Nick Hornby, Mike Gayle and Jojo Moyes.

“A joyous, uplifting story of a father and son finding their way back to each other - Daily MailThis hits that sweet spot between being properly funny and gut-punchingly emotional - SunAn uplifting tale about a dad reconnecting with his son - Woman's WeeklyMoving effortlessly from comedy to poignancy . . . Reading it made me want to dance. An absolute gem of a book - Katie Marsh Touching and funny - BellaA delightful story about fatherhood and childhood - Owen KingAn uplifting and moving tale - Woman s Own Funny, touching and surprising - Choice Magazine”

A joyous, uplifting story of a father and son finding their way back to each other Daily Mail
This hits that sweet spot between being properly funny and gut-punchingly emotional Sun
An uplifting tale about a dad reconnecting with his son Woman's Weekly
Moving effortlessly from comedy to poignancy . . . Reading it made me want to dance. An absolute gem of a book Katie Marsh
Touching and funny Bella
A delightful story about fatherhood and childhood Owen King
An uplifting and moving tale Woman’s Own
Funny, touching and surprising Choice Magazine
If you want feel-good with a distinctive, funny, supporting cast, then this is the book for you Irish Daily Mail
Uplifting Woman & Home
Touching and often hilarious... A truly joyful read Press & Journal
I couldn't resist this delightful, feel-good novel Daily Mail

James Gould-Bourn was born and raised in Manchester. He is an award-winning screenwriter, and has previously worked for various landmine-clearance NGOs in Africa and the Middle East. Keeping Mum is his first novel.

'Touching and often hilarious... A truly joyful read' Press & Journal Danny Malooley's life is falling apart. He's a single parent with an eleven-year-old son, Will, who hasn't spoken since the death of his mother in a car crash fourteen months ago. He's being pursued by a dodgy landlord for unpaid rent and he's just lost his job. Struggling to find work, and desperate for money, Danny decides to do what anyone in his position would do. He becomes a dancing panda. After seeing street performers in his local park raking it in, he spends his last fiver on a costume... but the humiliation is worth it when Will finally speaks to him for the first time since his mother's death. The problem is Will doesn't know that the panda is in fact his father, and Danny doesn't want to reveal his true identity in case Will stops talking again. But Danny can't keep up the ruse forever... 'Uplifting' Woman & Home A surprising, laugh-out-loud and uplifting story of a father and son reconnecting in the most unlikely of circumstances. For fans of Nick Hornby, Mike Gayle and Jojo Moyes.

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