by Paul Bailey
First published 1988
Gabriel Harvey lives contentedly until everything changes. His father suddenly inherits a fortune and transforms into someone Gabriel barely recognizes. The man who raised him becomes a snob, obsessed with his new wealth and status. Then Gabriel's mother disappears. She is thirty-five years younger than his father, and her absence leaves Gabriel reeling. He clings to the belief that he will see her again someday. The conviction sustains him through the initial shock and confusion. But as time passes, Gabriel must confront a painful reality. His mother may never return. The separation that began as temporary starts to feel permanent. Gabriel slowly learns to accept what has happened to his family. The money that should have brought happiness has instead torn apart everything he once knew. He must find a way to live with loss while his father remains absorbed in his transformed life.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, 20th-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-drama, loss-of-parent
Period: 20th-century
336 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books