The Death of Lomond Friel - Tapa dura

"I loved it... it's about human relationships, stark and simple, when they are tested to the limit. Who would have thought a novel about a stroke could be so compelling?... an excellent novel, tender and witty and shot through with perception of many kinds." (Margaret Forster)

"The Death of Lomond Friel is a very fine first novel, full of emotion, laced with wit, and crowded with observations of the surface absurdities and hidden pains of being human. It marks Sue Peebles as an assured and cunning writer." (James Robertson)

"This sensitive and moving narrative brings vivid, life-sized characters together in a powerful and meaningful manner. Peebles writes with an emotive energy and a lyricism that is open-hearted, focused and soulful. A debut novel worth indulging in if you'd like to introduce into your life a touch more clarity, insight and grace" (Kevin MacNeil)

"A book that stayed with me long after I'd turned the final page. Despite their weaknesses and problems I wanted to keep hanging out with Rosie Friel and her family. Sue Peebles has created a very real cast of characters and rendered them with such style and verve, I really didn't want to let them go. She has a great future as a writer." (Louise Welsh)

When Rosie, a successful radio presenter, hears that her father has had a stroke, her life is thrown into disarray and she finds herself making reckless decisions that make little sense to those around her. As she strives towards building some kind of future for herself and her father, he quietly plots his own death . . .

Set on the east coast of Scotland, the novel covers events in the weeks following the stroke and the lives of this small cast of captivating but very real characters. Exploring the impact of memory and conscience, it tackles a family at a time of crisis, delving into the complexities of emotions and family history with compassion, humour and grace. In subtle, distinctive prose, alive with wit and verve, Sue Peebles has written a captivating, lovable and unusual novel - a domestic canvas where every detail counts.