Lyrical and witty, moving and profound: the story of a good man fighting
for his principles in a hostile world
'An uncomfortable but very readable novel about the careless greeds of
the way we live now' Helen Dunmore, Guardian
'A Graham Greene for our time' Spectator
'There are splendidly comic scenes worthy of Alan Ayckbourn' Ham and
High
The Francombe & Salter Mercury has served the residents of two South
Coast resorts for over 150 years. Hit by both the economic decline and
the advent of new technology, Duncan Neville, the latest member of his
family to occupy the editor's chair, is struggling to keep the paper
afloat. Duncan's personal life is in similar disarray as he juggles the
demands of his elderly mother, disaffected son, harassed ex-wife and
devoted secretary.
Meanwhile, a childhood friend turned bitter rival unveils plans to
rebuild the dilapidated pier, which, while promising to revive the
town's fortunes, threaten its traditional ethos. Then Duncan meets
Ellen, a recent divorcee, who has moved to Francombe with her two
teenage children.
By turns lyrical, witty and poignant, Widows and Orphans casts an
unflinching eye over the joys and adversities of contemporary life and
paints a masterful portrait of a decent man fighting for his principles
in a hostile world.
