Museum of Ordinary People

The superb novel from the bestselling author of Half A World Away and All the Lonely People.

'A joyful celebration of life' - Heat

'Filled with warmth, tenderness and character. It really made me think, too - I love that it encourages us to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. A gorgeous novel' - Beth O'Leary

'A keenly observed and warm-hearted tale of how people cope with loss and keep their dreams alive against the odds . . . a delightful read' - Ruth Hogan

Still reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Jess is about to do the hardest thing she's ever done: empty her childhood home so that it can be sold.

But when in the process Jess stumbles across the mysterious Alex, together they become custodians of a strange archive of letters, photographs, curios and collections known as The Museum of Ordinary People.

As they begin to delve into the history of the objects in their care, Alex and Jess not only unravel heartbreaking stories that span generations and continents, but also unearth long buried secrets that lie much closer to home.

Inspired by a box of mementos found abandoned in a skip following a house clearance, The Museum of Ordinary People is a thought-provoking and poignant story of memory, grief, loss and the things we leave behind.

'This author's books just get better and better' Good Housekeeping

'Mike Gayle is the king of touching, human stories' Heat

“The Museum of Ordinary People is a timely treasure of a read. Spilling over with Mike Gayle's trademark warmth and tenderness , it's so insightful and thought-provoking on loss and grief, as well as the meaning of possessions and how we might take a fresh look at the things we once took for granted. It's the kind of book you'll want to re-read as soon as you've finished it. Just beautifulPRAISE FOR ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE :-Heartbreaking, yet also uplifting and thought-provoking - i paperMike has an uncanny ability to create characters that are immediately familiar and relatable and to draw the reader into their world, ever eager to follow where they lead. The Museum of Ordinary People is a keenly observed and warm-hearted tale of how people cope with loss and keep their dreams alive against the odds. It is a delightful readMike Gayle's writing is beautiful - HeatThis author's books just get better and better - Good Housekeeping”

The Museum of Ordinary People is a timely treasure of a read. Spilling over with Mike Gayle's trademark warmth and tenderness, it's so insightful and thought-provoking on loss and grief, as well as the meaning of possessions and how we might take a fresh look at the things we once took for granted. It's the kind of book you'll want to re-read as soon as you've finished it. Just beautiful -- Holly Miller, author of The Sight of You
Mike has an uncanny ability to create characters that are immediately familiar and relatable and to draw the reader into their world, ever eager to follow where they lead. The Museum of Ordinary People is a keenly observed and warm-hearted tale of how people cope with loss and keep their dreams alive against the odds. It is a delightful read -- Ruth Hogan
One of my favourite writers, and this is his best yet...a relatable and yet brilliantly original story - this is a novel I could recommend to so many people -- Clare Mackintosh
Mike gets better every year and every book. He's becoming a real chronicler of our times -- Jenny Colgan
A new Mike Gayle novel is always a treat. The Museum of Ordinary People is filled with warmth, tenderness and character. It really made me think, too - I love that it encourages us to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. A gorgeous novel -- Beth O'Leary
Uplifting and poignant My Weekly
A joyful celebration of life, it's also a study in grief, second chances, and what can happen when you truly believe in yourself. Heat
This is a beautifully written read that's full of heart Fabulous
A powerful read Bella
This is a tale of loss and friendship by an author who has a way of making the ordinary things in life seem extraordinary Candis
This will resonate with anyone who has lost someone they love The Sunday Post
A real gem of a book Yours
A poignant look at grief and the things we leave behind Huffington Post
This thought-provoking, tender and brilliantly observed story shows Mike Gayle at his very best Sunday Express, S Magazine
'A poignant novel about memory, loss and new beginnings.' Woman Magazine
This novel is pure, unadulterated feel-good, and Gayle is a master puller of heartstrings. It radiates an unforced kind of goodwill, which makes up for some of the overly expository dialogue and unabashed sentimentality . . . Fans of uplifting-lit authors like Fredrik Backman will likely be suitably charmed Kirkus

Moving and heartwarming, this is a story about love and loss and holding onto the memories that
make us who we are. Fans of character-driven relationship fiction by Clare Pooley, Rachel
Joyce, and Freya Sampson will want to pick this one up

Booklist

MIKE GAYLE was born and raised in Birmingham. After graduating from Salford University with a degree in Sociology, he moved to London to pursue a career in journalism and worked as a features editor and agony uncle. He has written for a variety of publications including The Sunday Times, the Guardian and Cosmopolitan.

Mike became a full-time novelist in 1997 following the publication of his Sunday Times top ten bestseller My Legendary Girlfriend, which was hailed by the Independent as 'full of belly laughs and painfully acute observations', and by The Times as 'a funny, frank account of a hopeless romantic'. Since then he has written eighteen novels, including The Man I Think I Know, selected as a World Book Night title, and Half A World Away, selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club. His books have been translated into more than thirty languages. In 2021, Mike was the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Romantic Novelists' Association.

He lives in Birmingham with his wife, kids and greyhound.

You can find him online at mikegayle.co.uk and on Twitter @mikegayle.

The superb new novel from the bestselling author of Half A World Away and All the Lonely People .'A joyful celebration of life' - Heat 'Filled with warmth, tenderness and character. It really made me think, too - I love that it encourages us to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. A gorgeous novel' - Beth O'Leary 'A keenly observed and warm-hearted tale of how people cope with loss and keep their dreams alive against the odds . . . a delightful read' - Ruth Hogan Still reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Jess is about to do the hardest thing she's ever done: empty her childhood home so that it can be sold.But when in the process Jess stumbles across the mysterious Alex, together they become custodians of a strange archive of letters, photographs, curios and collections known as The Museum of Ordinary People .As they begin to delve into the history of the objects in their care, Alex and Jess not only unravel heartbreaking stories that span generations and continents, but also unearth long buried secrets that lie much closer to home.Inspired by a box of mementos found abandoned in a skip following a house clearance, The Museum of Ordinary People is a thought-provoking and poignant story of memory, grief, loss and the things we leave behind.'This author's books just get better and better' Good Housekeeping 'Mike Gayle is the king of touching, human stories' Heat

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