The Tick and the Tock of the Crocodile Clock

Kenny Boyle

Wendy just wants to be a poet. So how come she’s on the run after an art heist?

‘May well be the best book I’ve read in years’ Peter May

An aspiring writer from the Southside of Glasgow, Wendy is in a rut. She tries to brighten her call-centre job by shoehorning as many long words as possible into conversations with customers. But her manager isn’t amused by that and, after a public dressing-down, Wendy walks out.

Jobless and depressed, she finds consolation in a surprise friendship with another disgruntled ex-colleague, wild-child painter Cat, who encourages her to live more dangerously. It’s just what Wendy needs and it’s also brilliant for her creative juices. But a black cloud is about to overshadow this new-found liberation, as well as to put Wendy on the wrong side of the law.

Fresh, insightful and funny, as well as unflinchingly honest about the tougher side of life, Kenny Boyle’s debut novel takes us deep into the psyche of a likeable misfit who treads a fine line between reality and fantasy – and just wants the world to see her true self.

‘A quirky and honest portrayal of early twenties friendship. Disarmingly intimate… A sweet, sad and funny book’ Scotland on Sunday

‘Very different and engagingly unique. Kenny Boyle is bristling with talent, and this may well be the best book I’ve read in years’ Peter May

‘One of the nation’s best writers’ The Scotsman

‘A charming, funny and unique story that tackles tough issues with a gentleness and poignancy that really resonated with me’ Clare Grogan

‘Funny, intelligent and insightful. Kenny Boyle is a singular voice’ Sanjeev Kohli

‘I absolutely loved this book! It made me hoot with laughter, moved me to tears and wrongfooted me so many times. Audacious, witty and touching. A celebration of the power of words, stories, and of friendship. Beautiful’ Liz Hyder

Paperback: 304pp

Published: Lightning (May 2022)

ISBN: 9781785633027