Gentleman's Relish: Stories

Synopsis

Love—common and uncommon, vengeful and transformational—is the theme of this superb collection from the bestselling author of Notes from an Exhibition. From subtle tales of domestic unease to a story featuring a caravan that transports three generations of a family away from their small-town lives, author Patrick Gale proves in his second story collection that he is a master at mining the loneliness, yearning, and eternal optimism of the human spirit. The lonely wife of a prison governor—and the only female on an inaccessible island—gets a lesson in angling from an inmate who will pay a high price in &“The Lesson.&” In &“Saving Space,&” a widower returns to a summer music festival to revisit bittersweet memories of his wife—and receives consolation from another woman&’s ghost. In &“Petals on a Pool,&” a female author bonds with a male poet at a book convention in Hong Kong where no one has heard of them—until she sees something odd floating among the petals in the hotel&’s pool. The puppy training lessons at the center of &“Obedience&” serve as the catalyst for the rekindled sex life of a couple when the husband is suspected of murder. Gentleman&’s Relish also features chilling tales of blood and revenge. In &“Making Hay,&” a senior citizen living in a retirement home conceives a diabolical payback in the form of family folklore told to her young grandchildren. And in &“Cookery,&” a son exacts a nasty retribution against his homophobic father when he whips up an extra-special dinner. Some of these stories unfold like dreams—or nightmares—and others dissect with the precision of a surgeon&’s scalpel. Narrated with wit, glee, and surprising tenderness, this collection includes unsung masterpieces like &“Hushed Casket,&” in which a husband on his honeymoon discovers an old tea casket in an abandoned church that releases a macabre spirit, and suddenly, the homely spouse is transformed into an irresistible sex magnet. Additionally included here are stories originally commissioned by BBC Radio 4, as well as &“In the Camp,&” which explores the childhood of Laura Lewis, the heroine of Gale&’s acclaimed novel The Whole Day Through. With Gale&’s sharp eye for detail and unerring ear for dialogue, this pitch-perfect, something-for-everyone collection is sure to lure readers in—and keep them hooked.

Copyright:

2009

Book Details

Book Quality:

Publisher Quality

Book Size:

264 Pages

ISBN-13:

9781504037662

Publisher:

Open Road Media

Date of Addition:

12/15/24

Copyrighted By:

Patrick Gale

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

Literature and Fiction, Parenting and Family

Submitted By:

Bookshare Staff

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.