'Sparkling with emotional intelligence. A gripping portrait of a marriage and the quiet, devastating fall-out of family life' Independent

A rich, compelling and beautiful story of a marriage and the secrets a family holds.

'A real craftsman, a master storyteller. Quite simply, you believe every word he tells you' Independent on Sunday

Julian is a contented if naïve only child, and a holiday on the coast of North Cornwall should be perfect, especially when distant American cousins join the party. But their arrival brings upheaval and unexpected turmoil.

It is only as a seemingly well-adjusted adult that Julian is able to reflect on the realities of his parents' marriage, and to recognise that the happy, cheerful boyhood he thought was his is infused with secrets, loss and the memory of betrayals that have shaped his life.

'His clear, unforced prose sucks one in effortlessly' Daily Mail

What readers say about ROUGH MUSIC:

'I'm always impressed by his perceptive powers of observation, of his psychological insight and of his assured handling of his material' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'He takes apart a family teetering on the brink of not really knowing each other, or of being in denial of what they know, and analyses their actions and deeds in an almost forensic detail. A really great book' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'The emotional perspective is something Patrick Gale not only understands but relishes in his writing. His characterisations are superb' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐