The Necessary Marriage

The new novel from the author of An Unremarkable Body, shortlisted for the Costa First Book Award 2018.

'Elegant, subtle and tender, with a sharp sting in the tale' Sunday Mirror

Jane is sixteen when she falls in love with her teacher. Leonard Campbell is everything she has ever wanted: handsome, intelligent and attentive. He singles Jane out, giving her novels to read and discuss over long walks and cosy dinners. It is only once married, tied down and tied down with two children in 1980s suburbia that Jane realises she might have settled too early, losing much of herself in the process.

Then Marion and Andrew, a couple whose passion frequently tips into violence, move in next door, forcing Jane to confront feelings she didn't know she could have. And when Marion abandons her family, Jane steps in to help with the couple's two boys, setting in motion a series of events, all of which expose the push and pull within every relationship. As desire and loyalty are blurred, it becomes clear that nobody can escape the devastating impact of a family falling apart.

The Necessary Marriage is an intense, intimate portrait of how couples come together and grow apart, and the passions that drive us to do crazy things.

'A captivating novel which gets to the core of lust, love and commitment' Irish Times
'Beautifully written and with emotional intelligence pulsing through its veins, this portrait of marriage is a gripping read right up to its shocking end' Kate Hamer, author of The Girl in the Red Coat and The Doll Funeral

'Gripping and atmospheric, this book will knock you sideways' Fiona Mitchell, author of The Maid's Room