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Afraid of the Light
Afraid of the Light
Apr 1, 2026 1:59 PM

Author:Douglas Kennedy

Afraid of the Light

THE EXPLOSIVE NEW THRILLER FROM INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER, DOUGLAS KENNEDY

__________________________

'A pulse-racing thriller centred on hot-button debates' Daily Mail

Brendan has always lived a careful, constrained life. A salesman who never liked the work, he's a man who has stayed in his marriage and his faith because it was what was expected of him. But now, having lost his job after corporate downsizing and on the cusp of sixty, he finds himself scrambling to somehow stay afloat in the only Los Angeles work on offer to a man his age - driving for Uber.

When one of his rides, a retired professor named Elise, asks to be dropped off outside an abortion clinic where she now volunteers, Brendan finds himself driving right into the virulent epicentre of one of the major issues of our time, engulfing his life in the process.

A novel of high suspense and considerable moral complexity, Afraid of the Light is a tough, affecting social thriller that speaks volumes about the corrosive divisions of our troubled times.

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'Kennedy is skilled at zigzag plotting, blending domestic twists with turns created by global affairs' OBSERVER

Reviews

A pulse-racing thriller centred on hot-button debates [...] Kennedy's action-packed storyline puts a punchy spin on the traditional narrative of male later-life crisis

—— Daily Mail

A wily plot

—— Mail on Sunday

I can't recommend this more highly ... one of my books of the year

—— Phil Williams , Times Radio

A Russian doll of a book that twists and tugs each outer husk, revealing delicate and poignant inner layers.

—— BETH MORREY, author of SAVING MISSY

Perfect for fans of A Man Called Ove and Eleanor Oliphant, Ericka Waller's wonderful debut is both laugh out loud funny and immensely moving. Definitely one of my favourite novels of 2021, Dog Days is an absolute delight.

—— AJ Pearce, author of Dr Mrs Bird

The kind of charm readers will recall from Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine... a welcome balm for anxious lockdown minds... the book is gentle but poignant, moving but uplifting, suffused with different kinds of love and loss.

—— VANITY FAIR

[A] Touching and thoughtful debut novel

—— RED

Hilarious and moving, it recognises the unconditional love of dogs and their ability to make the world a better place

—— WOMAN'S WEEKLY

If you enjoyed Beth Morrey's Saving Missy, you'll love this...both hilarious and moving.

—— Woman and Home

Easy to read and witty but full of pathos and sadness, this tightly plotted tale will bring you joy.

—— BEST

Tender, humorous and hopeful

—— LISSA EVANS, author of V for Victory

Dog Days is a beautiful novel, filled with poignancy and humour. Ericka Waller looks closely at life with all its ghosts and new beginnings, finding glitter in the dark and hope where there is healing.

—— Rónán Hession, author of Leonard and Hungry Paul

A beautifully written book... it's very hard to believe it's a debut novel. Ericka Waller peels back the layers of life and delves deep into the highs and lows of mental health, of loss, and of love.'

—— NEW BOOKS MAGAZINE

This was such an emotional read and the perfect mix of humour and heartache

—— GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

Both joyful and heartbreaking

—— HEAT

Deftly drawn... a warm debut about loss, healing and making new connections

—— MAIL ON SUNDAY

We loved this heartwarming story

—— CLOSER

Weaves together tales of man's best friend helping in the darkest days

—— HELLO! magazine

Waller's tormented, endearing and intriguing characters cross paths as they walk dogs on the Sussex Downs in a bittersweet, touching novel of waggy tails, wet noses and tear-filled eyes.

—— SAGA

A charming novel that focuses on the healing properties of man and woman's best friend

—— Choice Magazine

Waller has a lyrical way of weaving words that perfectly encapsulates a feeling or thought ... Funny, sad and reassuringly sage, Dog Days is a story of humanity, family and life.

—— Culturefly

A glorious read full of love and humour

—— THE IRISH EXAMINER

Combines two total opposites - sorrow and joy. The way Waller makes the two work together is outstanding

—— FEMALE FIRST magazine

A charming novel that focusses on the healing powers of man and woman's best friend

—— CHOICE Magazine

With its tightly plotted twists Dog Days is an exhilarating, at times even vertiginous ride... The mix of human passion and canine good sense works triumphantly..

—— Ed Stourton, author of Diary of a Dog Walker

'A tender, complicated novel of love, loss and self-discovery.'

—— SUSAN WILSON, New York Times bestselling author of One Good Dog and What a Dog Knows

An emotional tour-de-force that will leave you with the whole-hearted understanding that dogs really do bring people (even the most unlikely of us) together.

—— Annie England Noblin, author of Sit, Stay, Speak and Pupcakes

Brilliant, funny, stomach-turningly accurate

—— Observer, on 'Then We Came to the End'

Very funny, intense and exhilarating

—— The Times, on 'Then We Came to the End'

A funny, thought-provoking revenge story. Elizabeth Zott is ahead of her time. This is such a great book, everyone should read it!

—— SHAPARAK KHORSANDI

Garmus has made feminism not just palpable, but delicious

—— I-NEWS

A truly involving and uplifting book! Bonnie Garmus addresses serious topics with humour that is genuinely funny. I especially liked the dog. Mine only appears to know one word, which is 'supper', but there again she is a Labrador. I'm sure this is going to be a great success, and deserves to be

—— ANNE YOUNGSON, Costa Book Award-shortlisted author of MEET ME AT THE MUSEUM

This incredible novel has EVERYTHING - an unforgettable heroine, wry humour, love, family and bucketloads of optimism and female empowerment. It's WONDERFUL

—— HANNAH BECKERMAN

An energetic debut ... A more adorable plea for rationalism and gender equality would be hard to find

—— KIRKUS (starred review)

Bold, smart and often hilarious look at so-called women's work

—— REAL SIMPLE, US

Charming and emboldening tale with a vintage sheen... A thoroughly entertaining and emboldened look at gender in the 1960s. A must read!

—— MAGIC RADIO, BOOK CLUB READ

Garmus delivers an assured voice, an indelible heroine and relatable love stories

—— WASHINGTON POST

Elizabeth is a woman who challenges the norms of a woman in the 60s...her perseverance to succeed is enthralling. The fight to do what she really wants, and that alone, is one that'll have you rooting for her throughout

—— STYLIST

Indefatigable and formidable, Elizabeth pushes the bounds of how women and their work are perceived in this thoroughly engaging debut novel

—— BOOKLIST

A kicky debut, this book tackles feminism, resilience, and rationalism in a fun and refreshing way

—— BUZZFEED

Every bit as brilliant as everyone is saying. Funny, clever, full of heart and wonderful characters. I loved it

—— A J PEARCE

Unforgettable ... Elizabeth Zott is intelligent, fearless, determined and utterly inspiring

—— CULTUREFLY

An absolute delight. Zott is a cracking protagonist - strikingly single-minded, socially awkward, fiercely determined to forge her own path

—— FINANCIAL TIMES, Best Audio Books

Witty, fast-paced and unabashedly amusing' Lessons in Chemistry is 'written with charm, verve and piercing insight ... a future classic

—— LITERARY REVIEW

The best book I've read recently. I loved it

—— SARA COX, BBC 2 Between the Covers

I loved it. You don't want to finish it. You don't want to put it down. It's wonderful to hear a voice that has total honesty and clarity. I love that Elizabeth Zott is funny and hasn't got a clue that she's funny

—— DEBORAH MEADEN, BBC 2 BETWEEN THE COVERS

I loved everything about it. There were so many things I could relate to

—— STEPHEN BAILEY, BBC 2 BETWEEN THE COVERS

i couldn't put it down. It was so easy to read: hilarious, heartfelt. With all of the issues that we are still dealing with right now. Heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure

—— SUKH OJLA

Laugh-aloud funny, witty and provocative, LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY recreates the rampant sexism of America just before Betty Friedan's THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE and the bonfire of the bras

—— THE TIMES, audiobook of the week

A funny, big-hearted read

—— THE TIMES, Summer Reading Choice

I adored this confident, witty portrait of an unforgettable woman and her time

—— DAILY MAIL, Summer reading recommendations

One of the smartest and funniest novels to appear this year

—— THE NEW EUROPEAN

We guarantee you will love this charming debut

—— HELLO MAGAZINE

This smart, uproarious, emotional page-turner...has been the year's runaway hit. Rightly so

—— SUNDAY TIMES, Books of the Year

Irresistible, a gorgeous tribute to resilience and the many types of love that sustain us

—— OPRAH DAILY

Sharp and deliciously readable. Brings bite as well as charm to the tale of a super-rational scientist navigating sexism in early 60s America.

—— GUARDIAN, Books of the Year

The idiosyncratic wit of this year's blockbuster debut is instantly appealing, but it's also a narrative with real bite. Uplifting and irresistibly zany

—— THE MAIL, Books of the Year

I fell for Elizabeth Zott immediately. A wonderfully entertaining and empowering read

—— GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, Books of the Year

A wonderful novel - polished, pacy, funny, witty, warm, life-affirming, and thought-provoking

—— SUNDAY MAIL, SCOTLAND

Witty and sometimes hilarious. The CATCH-22 of early feminism

—— STEPHEN KING

Enchanting, clever, funny and packed with deeply engaging characters. I still think about it a lot

—— INDIA KNIGHT's Book of the Year, SUNDAY TIMES

As with all the best stories, there is a timelessness to this book. One senses it will be read in ten or twenty years' time

—— IRISH TIMES

Biting and cheering in exactly the right measure

—— JOJO MOYES

The TV cook bit hooked me right in and it did not disappoint. This book is Charming, witty and clever

—— NADIYA HUSSAIN
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