*LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2025* *WINNER OF THE NERO BOOK AWARDS 2025* *WINNER OF THE WINSTON GRAHAM HISTORICAL PRIZE 2026* *LONGLISTED FOR THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION 2026* 'A huge talent' HILARY MANTEL 'A magnificent writer' DOUGLAS STUART 'One of the finest novelists of his generation' THE TIMES Thomas lives a slow, deliberate life with his mother in Longferry, working his grandpa’s trade as a shanker. He rises early to take his horse and cart to the grey, gloomy beach to scrape for shrimp; spending the rest of the day selling his wares, trying to wash away the salt and scum, pining for Joan Wyeth down the street and rehearsing songs on his guitar. At heart, he is a folk musician, but it remains a private dream. When a striking visitor turns up, bringing the promise of Hollywood glamour, Thomas is shaken from the drudgery of his days and begins to see a different future. But how much of what the American claims is true, and how far can his inspiration carry