Peterdown: An epic social satire, full of comedy, character and anarchic radicalism

In Peterdown, a novel set in 21st-century Britain, the construction of an ultra-high-speed railway line threatens to demolish the Larkspur Hill housing estate and the Chapel, the home of the town's football team. Ellie Ferguson, an architect exiled from London, is determined to save the Larkspur, while Colin, a lifelong United fan, is desperate to save the Chapel. This leads to an epic, wide-angle novel rich in character and incident, exploring work and play, community, and place, and how we might live in the face of history.

Format: Hardback
Length: 608 pages
Publication date: 06 May 2021
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

A novel that delves into the psychic fault lines of 21st-century Britain, Peterdown seamlessly blends grand ambitions with the human and everyday. The result is a captivating narrative that strikes a perfect balance between down-to-earth and epic proportions.

Set in the industrial town of Peterdown, Johny Pitts, the author of Afropean Peterdown, has been chosen as the regional hub for a soon-to-be-built, ultra-high-speed railway line. This development holds the promise of propelling Peterdown into a prosperous future. However, to achieve this, something from the town's past will have to be demolished.

On the shortlist for demolition are two significant landmarks: the Larkspur Hill housing estate, a prominent modernist masterpiece, and the Chapel, the raucous home of Peterdown United, the town's football team. Ellie Ferguson, an architect exiled from London, is determined to save the Larkspur, while her partner, Colin, a lifelong United fan, is equally passionate about preserving the Chapel. As their campaigns become increasingly passionate and opposing, their essential differences become hard to ignore.

Out of this tumultuous backdrop emerges an epic, wide-angle novel that is rich in character and incident. Affairs are embarked upon, conspiracies are uncovered, and a broad-based popular insurgency ignites. Peterdown vividly brings England's beleaguered streetscape to life and uncovers a playful and storied counterculture. Among these are mad monks, machine breakers, avant-gardists, and non-conformists.

Full of warmth, comedy, character, and anarchic radicalism, Peterdown is an ambitious tale that explores themes of work and play, community, and place. It delves into how we might navigate the challenges of history and live in the face of it. Through its vivid portrayal of Peterdown and its inhabitants, the novel offers a thought-provoking and entertaining perspective on contemporary Britain.

Weight: 856g
Dimension: 166 x 241 x 52 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472155856