I loved the dark undercurrent of The Book of Guilt, a looming sense of foreboding, knowing that something was very wrong, but not being able to work out what is was. Chidgey is a master at drip-feeding the right amount of information at the right time.

In an alternative 1970s England, three identical brothers are the last remaining boys looked after by Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon, and Mother night. The rest of the occupants of their peculiar children’s home have either died from the Bug or have got better and been taken the the mythical Margate. Vincent is the narrator and we discover what is actually going on at the same time as he does.
We also meet Nancy, living in Exeter with her parents who never let her leave the house. And also the Minister for Loneliness, responsible for dismantling the Sycamore Homes where the boys live.

There are clear parallels with Never Let Me Go by Ishiguro, but The Book of Guilt is more about the political and is perhaps slightly less literary. I really enjoyed it and it kept surprising me with its twists and turns. Buy it from Bookshop.org

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