On Turpentine Lane

Elinor Lipman

‘Light and tight… constructed with an almost scary mastery’ New York Times

At thirty-two, Faith Frankel has returned to her claustro-suburban hometown, where she writes institutional thank-you notes for her alma mater.

It’s a peaceful life and surely, with her recent purchase of a sweet bungalow on Turpentine Lane, her life is finally on track. Never mind that her fiancé is off on a crowdfunded cross-country walk, too busy to return her texts (but not too busy to post photos of himself with a different woman in every state). And never mind her witless boss, or a mother who lives too close, or a philandering father who thinks he’s Chagall.

When she finds some mysterious artefacts in the attic of her new home, she wonders whether anything in her life is as it seems. What good fortune, then, that Faith has found a friend in affable, collegial Nick Franconi, office-mate par excellence...

‘Oh my God, I love her books. They’re so funny’ Marian Keyes

‘Elinor Lipman applies her singular brand of warm zaniness to Faith’s dilemma… She has taken lessons from our great chroniclers of the quotidian, from Geoffrey Chaucer to Jane Austen. The result provides a light but serious antidote to what ails us all these days’ Washington Post

‘Elinor Lipman is the best writer you’ve never heard of – imagine if Elizabeth Strout wrote romantic comedies. On Turpentine Lane is whimsical but also gently savages the frailties of the human condition‘ Red

‘A romantic comedy with just enough sly wit to keep it from turning sugary’ O (The Oprah Magazine)

‘Such brilliant news that Elinor Lipman’s new books are going to be published in the UK. I’ve been a huge fan of her novels for so many years. Her writing is witty, astute and deliciously dry, and I’m delighted to be able to share my love her work with a wider audience Jill Mansell

Paperback

Published: Lightning (March 2020)

ISBN: 9781785632006