Chris Else — On River Road

Vintage 2004 Paperback, 366pp. In the trendy satellite town of Durry, four couples live in the support and trust of their joint friendship. They've stuck by one another through young love and marriage break-up, hard times and rising affluence. Each knows the others inside out. But now the teenage daughter of one of them has been killed in a hit and run. Cracks begin to appear in their relationships. Can the centre hold? Chris Else's latest novel explores this network of friends, wives, husbands and lovers. With insight and compassion, he takes us through the aftermath of the accident on River Road and reveals our own deep need for human comfort and reassurance, even in the midst of seeming plenty. Cover faded on spine, pages tanning. (ISBN: 9781869416232). Good.