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Jawbone Lake
Jawbone Lake
Oct 8, 2024 2:45 AM

Author:Ray Robinson

Jawbone Lake

From the author of Electricity and Forgetting Zoë, comes a thought-provoking, beautifully written and taut thriller.

Ravenstor, the Peak District. New Year’s Day.

A young woman stands on the shore of a frozen lake and watches a Land Rover crash off the bridge wall and into the ice. Two hundred miles away, a young man is woken by a devastating telephone call. The accident, and what it brings to the surface, will change both of their lives for ever.

Reviews

This is a literary thriller of the highest order.

—— Irish Independent

Robinson brings his characters alive by the evocation of their expansive inner worlds, the reaction of each to the events that spiral out from Jawbone Lake. Even the landscape of the Peaks colludes in the shifting of perspectives, slowly revealing more secrets to the intertwined protagonists. This novel resounds long after the mesmerising final sentence completes its circle. On the surface, it’s a literary thriller. But Robinson uses the frame of taut, compulsive storytelling to reveal infinite space beyond – the fathoms that lie between us.

—— Guardian

Robinson is very good on the odd dynamics of the relationships grown-up sons have with their fathers … the characters and the writing are so compelling. This book is also full of unexpected imagery … and amusing dialogue … that will linger happily in the memory

—— Jake Kerridge , Sunday Express

[A] lyrical novel about lives in a remarkable landscape.

—— Sunday Times

A gripping, thought-provoking tale

—— The List

Robinson seems to reinvent himself with each book. This time he has written an exemplary literary thriller. The clever bastard.

—— Me And My Big Mouth

I became totally absorbed in this emotive and beautifully rendered novel... I would easily compare it to a writer such as Jim Crace in the rendition of its deep rooted emotional themes, and its pitch perfect evocation of place. A beautiful and affecting read.

—— Raven Crime Reads

A novel that ... knows how to thrill, even as it treats its thriller aspect as something strange and inscrutable ... another intriguing book from an author whose work should not remain a secret.

—— David H blog

[A] very gripping literary thriller

—— Savidge Reads

Robinson is deft at capturing the nuances of…relationship[s]…[There are] endearing, memorable characters.

—— Sunday Business Post

I simply could not stop reading the book…Robinson really captures the atmosphere of the Peak District which is at once incredibly beautiful and also dangerous and ominous. This ripples through the book and often informs the mood over the characters even if they don’t know it. I loved all this. There is a modern gothic nature to all of this, along with an earthy element that works wonders for me and I think Robinson is brilliant at… A deliciously dark literary thriller.

—— Savidge Reads

[A] fine thriller, a psychological study of a young woman who is reluctantly involved in the plot and brilliant word pictures of life at the blunt end of “poverty Britain”…I found myself quickly drawn into the plot, with brief word-pictures building up just the right amount of framework in my mind. An elegant and fast-moving narrative drove me on through the pages and yet somehow leaving me feeling that “this is good writing”.’

—— A Common Reader

[Robinson's] latest novel is a literary thriller with traces of Enduring Love. It is cold and bleak and brilliantly done. He is one of the finest British novelists of his age.

—— Me and My Big Mouth

A novel that knows how to thrill, even as it treats its thriller aspect as something strange and inscrutable. So that’s another intriguing book from an author whose work should not remain a secret.

—— Shiny New Books

[A] very human novel in which nearly everything is expertly understated ... The characters and storyline are completely absorbing and all of the drama is handled brilliantly making the novel seem almost like a true life account ... Jawbone Lake is a very deep and poignant tale that had me hooked from the start ... It is an emotional read with exceptionally well crafted characters and a lot of heart; I thoroughly enjoyed it.’

—— The Bookbag

The opening chapter of Kate Atkinson's latest book is one of the finest pieces of suspense literature you will read this year . . . addictive . . . Atkinson is back at her best

—— London Life

There couldn’t be a more perfect summer read than this elegant, atmospheric, suspenseful novel

—— John Koski , Mail on Sunday

Curtain Call is a poignant and gripping story about love and death in a society dancing towards the abyss

—— MrsD-Daily

Harrowing suspense. The Bear is a survival thriller that is told from a child's-eye point-of-view, which is not only convincing but doubles the tension. A heartbreaking, white-knuckle read

—— Andrew Pyper, author of The Demonologist

Thrilling and harrowing…. I couldn’t put this book down. And I must say that the ending was so right, I caught myself holding my breath. A remarkable novel

—— Anthony de Sa, author of Kicking the Sky

Just when you thought it was safe to go into the forest... This expertly crafted novel could do for camping what Jaws did for swimming

—— People

A gripping tale of how to deal with grief and being lost in a hostile environment

—— Roddy Brooks , UK Press Syndication

Subtle, endearing and raw

—— Clare Brierley , Nudge

Based on real-life events, this book is unforgettable

—— Helena Gumley-Mason , Lady

A tender, terrifying, poignant ride

—— O magazine
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