Notes from an Exhibition by Patrick Gale

The characters leap out of the pages in this skilfully written story of the life of Rachel Kelly, a talented but troubled artist living in Penzance.

The narrative is strong and convincing and everyone knows of an 'Antony' the Quaker - quiet, solid and reliable who holds everything together in a calm and positive way. The house and its inhabitants come alive on every page and we dread the tragedy of its final pages ...

It is a long time since any book has given me such enjoyment and I cannot wait to read more of his work.