Faber to publish ‘dark and gripping’ debut novel by Bev Thomas

We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of A Good Enough Mother: a dark and gripping exploration of the complex dynamic between a patient and a therapist, and an examination of the responsibilities and limitations of motherhood.

Bev Thomas’s UK debut novel heralds the arrival of a significant new fiction talent and will be published to major fanfare in 2019.

Louisa Joyner fought off fierce competition in a heated five-way auction to acquire UK and Commonwealth Rights from Karolina Sutton at Curtis Brown, as part of a two-book deal. It will be published by Pamela Dorman at Pamela Dorman Books/Viking in the US, and Anne Collins at Random House Canada.

​Rights have also been sold in Germany, France and Hungary.​

It is rare to find a novel with such a marriage of quality writing and evident commercial reach; both a riveting family drama and psychological thriller which delivers a rich reading experience. It is written with such sharp intelligence and deftness of touch. It’s clear that Bev Thomas is an exciting new writer on the Faber list. Stephen Page

Ruth Hartland is the director of a trauma therapy unit in London. A psychotherapist with years of experience, she is highly respected in her field.  But her family life tells another story. Tom, her seventeen-year old son has disappeared, and has had no contact with anyone for over two years.  Ruth is grieving for her missing son, while trying to understand his disappearance . . .

When Ruth is referred a disturbed patient – a man who bears a striking resemblance to her missing adult son – her grief and guilt compromise her work. With her professional boundaries skewed, events spiral out of control, culminating in a terrible act of violence.

 Bev Thomas is a clinical psychologist with twenty-five yeas’ experience of working with patients and NHS staff. She has an in-depth knowledge of clinical work with complex patients, the nature of trauma and the workings of an NHS psychology department.

Louisa Joyner said: ‘It was love at first line with A Good Enough Mother – or should I say first paragraph. That passion and excitement was replicated across the company. We were determined to become Bev Thomas’s publisher and we have huge ambitions for this new Faber author. . .’

Bev Thomas said: ‘I’m thrilled to have chosen Faber.  I was so impressed by the whole team, their passion and vision – and their thoughtfulness about the issues raised in the book.  I’m so looking forward to starting this exciting journey with them.’