A splendid Dickensian sweep of a book Observer A decent and intelligent novel, one which can be read, and will be read, with a great deal of pleasure Allan Massie, Scotsman As a guide to media London, the novel is essential reading T.J. Binyon, Times Literary Supplement The very good Bragg has forced a complex contemporary plot to work magic David Hughes, Mail on Sunday Bragg has scarcely ever written better...A state of England message transfused by fiction Tom Adair, Scotland on Sunday Melvyn Bragg writes with a lyrical nostalgia which is as important to the novel as his energy Penelope Fitzgerald, Evening Standard

About the Author

Melvyn Bragg is a writer and broadcaster. His novels include The Hired Man, for which he won the Time/Life Silver Pen Award, Without a City Wall, winner of the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, The Soldier's Return, winner of the WHSmith Literary Award, A Son of War and Crossing the Lines, both of which were longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, and most recently Grace and Mary. He has also written several works of non-fiction, the latest being The Book of Books about the King James Bible. He lives in London and Cumbria.