A Short Road to Longbrook

A tangled tale of maternal inheritance, the ties that bind and the queasy way psychiatry in the mid twentieth century seemed so much about crushing women’s independence. A must, not just for the countless fans of My Policeman but for admirers of Tessa Hadley – PATRICK GALE, author of Notes from an ExhibitionWith her usual empathy and understanding, Bethan Roberts brilliantly evokes a time – not so long ago – when mental illness carried real stigma and shame – LYNNE TRUSS, author of Eats, Shoots & LeavesProfoundly moving and utterly compelling, a heartfelt story that spans generations and deftly weaves between the intimate lives of its characters. There’s a genuine sense of suspense here as secrets unfold, and revelations are made of love, loss and the psychopathology of everyday life. I was hooked from the beginning and absorbed right until the end – JAKE ARNOTT, author of The Long Firm

Bethan Roberts has published five novels and writes stories and drama for BBC Radio 4. Her books include The Good Plain Cook, which was a Radio 4 Book at Bedtime; My Policeman, the story of a 1950s policeman, his wife, and his male lover (now a major Amazon Original movie starring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin); Mother Island, which received a Jerwood Fiction Uncovered prize; and Graceland, which tells the story of Elvis Presley and his mother, Gladys. She also writes short fiction, for which she has won the Society of Authors’ Olive Cook Prize and the RA Pin Drop Award. Bethan has taught Creative Writing at Chichester University and Goldsmiths College, London. She lives in Brighton with her family.