Author:Robert Goolrick
A stranger. A small town. The wife of the town's richest man. There’s no stopping what’s about to happen in this searing new novel from million copy bestseller, Robert Goolrick. For fans of The Help, Tigers in Red Weather and The Great Gatsby.
It is the summer of 1948 when a handsome, charismatic stranger, Charlie Beale, back from war in Europe, shows up in the sleepy town of Brownsburg, Virginia. All he has with him are two suitcases: one contains a fine set of butcher knives; the other is full of money. Charlie should have turned around and walked back the other way, for what follows – the most passionate and tragic story of a forbidden love affair – will threaten to destroy everything and everyone in its path.
Told through the eyes of Sam, a young boy in the town whose world is changed forever by the events of that single year, Heading Out to Wonderful is a suspenseful masterpiece, a haunting, heart-stopping novel of obsession and love gone terribly wrong in a place where once upon a time such things could happen.
I love Robert Goolrick’s Heading Out to Wonderful. The novel’s seductive power and the beauty of his writing create a delicious feast.
—— Kathryn Stockett , author of The HelpThis is a beautiful story, told in the kind of sentences Edward Hopper might have written if he had been as good at writing as he was at painting. Darkly romantic, wholly evocative of its forties Virginia setting. He conjures up small town darkness wonderfully. Quite stunning. Read it now.
—— Matt Haig , author of The RadleysRobert Goolrick has a warm and easy way with words … He’s crafted a wily novel about place as well as passion, and as you turn the last page, you’ll feel like you’re leaving a tiny piece of your heart in Brownsburg.
—— Daily MailDeliciously dark and dangerous
—— O, The Oprah MagazineWritten with a beautiful sense of compassion Goolrick provides an excellent portrayal of the town’s inherent separation, tradition and frustration … A novel of dreams versus reality, secrets and lies, this is a story of just how far someone can go when they are in love … A terrific read with elements of both The Great Gatsby and Romeo and Juliet. It will keep you on the edge of your seat until its shocking finale.
—— Daily ExpressYou just have to know what happens
—— Sunday TimesA beautiful backdrop … A devastating love story. This book is expert at pulling at the heartstrings, but in an unsentimental way … It’s difficult to come away with a copy of Heading Out To Wonderful that’s not full of underlined phrases and turned-down pages. There is a phenomenal skill in Goolrick’s writing, right from the start. A book worth savouring, re-reading and lending to everyone you know.
—— Psychologies magazineA seductive, slow-burning drama of epic place and operatic passion. Wonderful.
—— Saga magazineA beautiful novel with a tangible sense of place and time … It made me hold my breath wondering what would develop … [A] beguiling and devastating novel that provokes feelings of deep joy and sadness.
—— We Love This BookA writer with a big heart and a deft hand for drama.
—— Washington PostGoolrick’s tale of doomed love resonates like a folk ballad... the narrative builds slowly to its violent climax, packs an emotional punch, and then haunts [its] readers
—— Publishers WeeklyBeautifully written... Rich, evocative… passionate and tragic
—— Garth Stein , author of The Art of Racing in the RainA mesmerizing gothic tale of a good man gone wrong ... Finely crafted fiction from a captivating writer
—— Booklist, starred reviewElegantly written, funny, self-aware
—— Simon Lewis , Daily Mail IrelandBeautifully written and wonderfully evocative
—— Living NorthYou'll love this book… A haunting love story that brings hope humanity can survive just about anything – even death
—— Molly Dyson , PA LifeMr. Wallace proves with this first novel that you can open the fridge and make something new…
—— New York TimesA remarkable debut
—— Philadelphia ExaminerDelicate and imaginative . . . beautifully written . . . deserves every single bit of its success
—— ScotsmanLike a lighthouse, [The Light Between Oceans] shines a light in dark places, and its emotional resonance will stay with you for days
—— Irish ExaminerA thought-provoking debut novel . . . this beautifully delineated tale of love and loss, right and wrong, and what we will do for the happiness of those most dear to us, is moving without being maudlin
—— Boston Globeclever, funny and razor-sharp
—— Independent on Sundaythoughtful and ambitious
—— GuardianExcellent and astutely observed
—— Evening Standard