The Good Guy

Ted, a car-tyre salesman in 1960s suburban New England, is a dreamer who craves admiration. His wife, Abigail, longs for a life of the mind. Single-girl Penny just wants to be loved. When a chance encounter brings Ted and Penny together, he becomes enamoured and begins inventing a whole new life with her at its centre. But when this fantasy collides with reality, the fallout threatens everything, and everyone, he holds dear.

THE GOOD GUY is a deeply compelling debut about love, marriage and what happens when good intentions and self-deception are taken to extremes.

Short-listed for Costa First Novel Award 2016

“A joy - Samantha Harvey, author of The Wilderness What Beale does so beautifully in this accomplished debut novel is to put you right into the minds of the three main characters . . . A few other things also set this book apart. One is the framing device of a prologue and epilogue set in 2008, showing one of the long-term effects of Ted and Penny's affair and demonstrating the story's personal resonance for the author. Another is the authentic period voices and vocabulary, often expressed in food metaphors . . . a delicious, slightly gossipy summer read with a Mad Men feel to it. I'd especially recommend this to readers who enjoyed The Longest Night by Andria Williams and Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann - Bookbag There's definitely a Mad Menvibe to The Good Guy - Red Perfect summer read - Nudge Books Fresh and lively - Daily Mail”

A joy - Samantha Harvey, author of The Wilderness

What Beale does so beautifully in this accomplished debut novel is to put you right into the minds of the three main characters . . . A few other things also set this book apart. One is the framing device of a prologue and epilogue set in 2008, showing one of the long-term effects of Ted and Penny's affair and demonstrating the story's personal resonance for the author. Another is the authentic period voices and vocabulary, often expressed in food metaphors . . . a delicious, slightly gossipy summer read with a Mad Men feel to it. I'd especially recommend this to readers who enjoyed The Longest Night by Andria Williams and Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann - Bookbag

There's definitely a Mad Men vibe to The Good Guy - Red

Perfect summer read - Nudge Books

Fresh and lively - Daily Mail

Susan Beale was brought up on Cape Cod and now lives in the UK. She is a recent graduate of the Bath Spa MA in Creative Writing. The Good Guy is her first novel.

Ted, a car-tyre salesman in 1960s suburban New England, is a dreamer who craves admiration. His wife, Abigail, longs for a life of the mind. Single-girl Penny just wants to be loved. When a chance encounter brings Ted and Penny together, he becomes enamoured and begins inventing a whole new life with her at its centre. But when this fantasy collides with reality, the fallout threatens everything, and everyone, he holds dear.THE GOOD GUY is a deeply compelling debut about love, marriage and what happens when good intentions and self-deception are taken to extremes.

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