'Sparkling with emotional intelligence. A gripping portrait of a marriage and the quiet, devastating fall-out of family life' Independent

A rich, compelling and beautiful story of a marriage and the secrets a family holds.

'A real craftsman, a master storyteller. Quite simply, you believe every word he tells you' Independent on Sunday

Julian is a contented if naive only child, and a holiday on the coast of North Cornwall should be perfect, especially when distant American cousins join the party. But their arrival brings upheaval and unexpected turmoil.

It is only as a seemingly well-adjusted adult that Julian is able to reflect on the realities of his parents' marriage, and to recognise that the happy, cheerful boyhood he thought was his is infused with secrets, loss and the memory of betrayals that have shaped his life.

'His clear, unforced prose sucks one in effortlessly' Daily Mail

What readers say about ROUGH MUSIC:

'I'm always impressed by his perceptive powers of observation, of his psychological insight and of his assured handling of his material'

'He takes apart a family teetering on the brink of not really knowing each other, or of being in denial of what they know, and analyses their actions and deeds in an almost forensic detail. A really great book'

'The emotional perspective is something Patrick Gale not only understands but relishes in his writing. His characterisations are superb'

About the Author
Patrick Gale was born on the Isle of Wight. He spent his infancy at Wandsworth Prison, which his father governed, then grew up in Winchester before going to Oxford University. He now lives on a farm near Land's End. One of this country's best-loved novelists, his most recent works are A Perfectly Good Man, the Richard and Judy bestseller Notes From An Exhibition, the Costa-shortlisted A Place Called Winter and Take Nothing With You. His original BBC television drama, Man In An Orange Shirt, was shown to great acclaim in 2017 as part of the BBC's Queer Britannia series, leading viewers around the world to discover his novels.

Reviews
Sparkling with emotional intelligence. A gripping portrait of a marriage and quiet, devastating fall-out of family life * Independent *
Sparkling with emotional intelligence. A gripping portrait of a marriage and quiet, devastating fall-out of family life * Independent *
A subtle, highly evocative tale of memory and desire * Mail on Sunday *
A subtle, highly evocative tale of memory and desire * Mail on Sunday *
Like the sea he describes so well, Patrick Gale's clear, unforced prose sucks one in effortlessly * Daily Mail *
Like the sea he describes so well, Patrick Gale's clear, unforced prose sucks one in effortlessly * Daily Mail *
A painfully acute but never reproachful examination of a past that will not vanish * Daily Telegraph *
A painfully acute but never reproachful examination of a past that will not vanish * Daily Telegraph *
A real craftsman, a master storyteller
A real craftsman, a master storyteller



Book Information
ISBN 9781472255402
Author Patrick Gale
Format Paperback
Page Count 464
Imprint Tinder Press
Publisher Headline Publishing Group
Weight(grams) 314g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 128mm * 34mm