A Perfectly Good Man: A heartfelt, humane novel of Cornwall, love and forgiveness

From the author of A PLACE CALLED WINTER and NOTES FROM AN EXHIBITION comes a heartfelt, humane novel about what happens when ‘doing good’ is no longer enough…

‘A convincing, moving account of man’s struggle with faith, marriage and morality’ Sunday Times

On a clear, crisp summer’s day in Cornwall, a young man carefully prepares to take his own life, and asks family friend, Barnaby Johnson, to pray with him.

Barnaby is a priest, a husband and father, and has always tried to do good, though life hasn’t always been either straightforward or rosy. Lenny’s request poses problems, not just for Barnaby, but for his wife and family, and the wider community, as the secrets of the past push themselves forcefully into the present for all to see.

‘Beautifully written’ Times

‘ A writer with heart and soul’ Observer

What readers love about A PERFECTLY GOOD MAN:

‘A most engaging novel, keenly observed, often witty, and beautifully written’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘A wonderful poetic, perceptive and very realistic insight into a very varied group of characters’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘I loved this book - one of the best novels I have read for a long time. Brilliant characterisation, an interesting setting in a small Cornish community, and a very good plot’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘Patrick Gale knows, not just the accurate externals of parish life, but the inner realities of human thinking’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐