Perfectly Good Man

£12.99

When 20-year-old Lenny Barnes, paralysed in a rugby accident, commits suicide in the presence of Barnaby Johnson, the much-loved priest of a West Cornwall parish, the tragedy’s reverberations open up the fault-lines between Barnaby and his nearest and dearest. The personal stories of his wife, children and lover illuminate Barnaby’s ostensibly happy life, and the gulfs of unspoken sadness that separate them all. Across this web of relations scuttles Barnaby’s repellent nemesis – a man as wicked as his prey is virtuous.

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Description

From the author of A PLACE CALLED WINTER and NOTES FROM AN EXHIBITION comes a heartfelt, humane novel about what happens when ‘doing good’ is no longer enough…

‘A convincing, moving account of man’s struggle with faith, marriage and morality’ Sunday Times

On a clear, crisp summer’s day in Cornwall, a young man carefully prepares to take his own life, and asks family friend, Barnaby Johnson, to pray with him.

Barnaby is a priest, a husband and father, and has always tried to do good, though life hasn’t always been either straightforward or rosy. Lenny’s request poses problems, not just for Barnaby, but for his wife and family, and the wider community, as the secrets of the past push themselves forcefully into the present for all to see.

‘Beautifully written’ Times

‘ A writer with heart and soul’ Observer

What readers love about A PERFECTLY GOOD MAN:

‘A most engaging novel, keenly observed, often witty, and beautifully written’ ? ? ? ? ?

‘A wonderful poetic, perceptive and very realistic insight into a very varied group of characters’ ? ? ? ? ?

‘I loved this book – one of the best novels I have read for a long time. Brilliant characterisation, an interesting setting in a small Cornish community, and a very good plot’ ? ? ? ? ?

‘Patrick Gale knows, not just the accurate externals of parish life, but the inner realities of human thinking’ ? ? ? ? ?

Additional information

Weight 0.28 kg
Dimensions 19.6 × 12.8 × 2.8 cm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Paperback

Pages

416

Language

English

Edition

|Reprint

Dewey

823.92 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K