Frankie by Graham Norton - ISBN: 9781529391480
Paperback
A hidden life, a shared story, a past blazing to life.

Frankie

The most courageous heroine you'll meet this year, from the Sunday Times bestselling author

$22.40

  • Paperback

    304 pages

  • Release Date

    24 June 2025

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Summary

Frankie Howe was never quite sure enough of herself to take centre stage - after all, life had already judged her harshly. Now in her eighties, she finds it easier to forget the life that came before.

Then Damian, a young Irish carer, arrives at her London flat to keep an eye on her as she recovers from a fall. A memory is sparked, and the past crackles into life as Damian listens to the story Frankie has kept stored away all these years.

From post-war Ireland to the dazzling …

Book Details

ISBN-13:9781529391480
ISBN-10:1529391482
Author:Graham Norton
Publisher:Hodder & Stoughton
Imprint:Sceptre
Format:Paperback
Number of Pages:304
Release Date:24 June 2025
Weight:214g
Dimensions:196mm x 126mm x 24mm
What They're Saying

Critics Review

Immersive, stunningly written and very emotional - this is a triumph. I defy anyone not to love it (but bring tissues!). Graham’s writing gets better and better, and Frankie is his best yet
I loved Frankie so much. I couldn’t stop reading it, but feel bereft now that I’ve finished
A masterclass in storytelling that grabs you by the heartstrings from page one and refuses to let go * Irish Independent *
Frankie is popular fiction at its best… Beautifully crafted and impeccably researched * Irish Examiner *
An eventful story about well-drawn characters… Compelling, interesting and enjoyable * Irish Times *
Warm and wise, Frankie is a woman worth getting to know
I was enthralled by Frankie from page one. It’s a beauty. A warm, deeply moving, life-enhancing novel
Wonderful … [Norton’s] sweeping fifth novel traces the life of the eponymous protagonist as she relays it to her young Irish carer * The i *
Beautifully warm and empathetic … Frankie is one of the most wonderful characters I’ve come across in a long time * Good Housekeeping *
A masterclass in storytelling that grabs you by the heartstrings from page one and refuses to let go * Sunday Independent *
What an unforgettable, heartening book; everybody should read it. The accumulation of grief, the revelation of joy, is so brilliant in the story - from Cork to Picadilly to Greenwich Village - and I just loved every page. Frankie is a triumph, a beautiful book of sunshine and memory
A vivid portrait of one woman’s life along with her closest friend, from censorious Ireland of the 1950s to high society New York of the 60s and 70s and the utter devastation of the AIDS epidemic of the 80s. Frankie is a beautifully written, entertaining and intriguing read - I couldn’t have loved it more
I was bereft when I turned the last page. I adored Frankie and the storytelling was sublime * Prima, BOOK OF THE MONTH *
Travelling from 1940s Ireland to the glamour of New York in the 1960s, this tender and witty story shows that the TV star is a writer to reckon with * Best *
A great sweep of a novel, full of unexpected twists; Frankie’s riveting story is both a tribute to lifelong friendship and the kindness of strangers
Fascinating, funny, sad … Every page is intriguing. Once again, Graham shows his class as a writer
His best yet! Frankie is about a quiet woman who’s dismissed and disrespected but lives an extraordinary life. Packed with surprises, it’s moving riveting and enriching
The glorious unfolding of a life, beautifully written, heartbreakingly honest

About The Author

Graham Norton

Graham Norton is the author of five hugely successful novels, all of which have been bestsellers in the UK and Ireland and have won or been shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards. His writing has won him critical acclaim in media and from the literary community across the world. Graham’s debut novel Holding was made into a high-profile TV drama in 2022, and Home Stretch and Forever Home have both been optioned for major TV series.

He is a five-time BAFTA TV Award winner for The Graham Norton Show, which has been running for almost two decades, and is known internationally for commentating on the Eurovision Song Contest and as a recurring judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

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