Home
/
Fiction
/
Friday Firsts ( Complete Series)
Friday Firsts ( Complete Series)
Jan 14, 2026 9:45 PM

Author:Various,Tom Rachman,Evie Wyld,Full Cast

Friday Firsts ( Complete Series)

Four acclaimed novelists write their first stories for radio. The Coup by Tom Rachman describes how a protest threatens to turn into a coup, in London' s genteel Kensington, which is next door to where the two Geralds have just moved in. Steak by Evie Wyld, describes how a group of male barflies in small town Australia are unsettled by the appearance of Mariella.. In She Wiped The Surface, Louisa Young, describes how a mother happily arranges her daughter's birthday party, but this masks a family bereavement. How to cope? In Holding On by Ross Raisin, a woman stands at the end of a cliff, which is at the end of her garden - which means what, exactly?

Reviews

The tale is narrated in the first person by Rory, and with Arthur Darvill revisiting his role, this is a very effective reading. Evocative sound effects bring the scenes in the present, and Nadurniss’ past, vividly to life... a very welcome addition to the canon of Amy and Rory’s travels

—— Stephen Elsden , http://www.scifind.com

Engaging and smartly plotted

—— Observer

It's warm-hearted characterisation and deft pacing should make the paperback popular on next summer's beaches

—— The Sunday Times

Past Mortem confirms Elton as craftsmanlike, thoughtful and readable. Fans will find plenty to enjoy

—— Daily Mail

A writer who provokes almost as much as he entertains

—— Daily Mail

A brilliantly vivid piece of storytelling

—— The Scotsman

Atmospheric coming-of-age tale by one of Norway’s most renowned writers

—— Observer

The detail is perfect; the emotions are raw and beautifully conveyed

—— William Leith , Evening Standard

Petterson’s novel is a compelling study… Petterson’s beautifully spare prose subtly captures the effort that comes with this seeming inaction, this lack of fight, providing us with a lens through which we come to see Audun’s grim inertia as a paralyzing struggle to forget the past and get on with the task of living

—— Observer

Beautifully crafted but undeniably bleak; its spare prose, mournfully succinct characterisation and disorientating chronology deliver an edgy read

—— James Urquhart , Financial Times

Melancholic

—— Emma Hagestadt , Independent

Covering the twenty years that turned Catherine the Great from a young bride on approval to the legendary Empress of Russia, Eva Stachniak's novel gives a magical insight into the hopes and fears that haunted the corridors of the St Petersburg palace. It brings alive the very tastes and textures of the mid-eighteenth century

—— Sarah Gristwood, author of Arbella and The Girl in the Mirror

An intimate portrait of 18th century girl-power

—— Independent

A wry moral tale exploring the little evasions and compromises of everyday life. Translator Agnes Scott does justice to Solstad’s measured voice

—— Emma Hagestadt , Independent

This short-but-striking novel quickly reveals itself to be…crime fiction, yes, but also a subtle and deeply introspective consideration of the inertia of lonely middle-age, its philosophy existentialist in the manner of Jean Paul Sartre, Ingmar Bergman and certain novels of Georges Simenon. The result is a highly complex and accomplished work

—— Billy O'Callaghan , Irish Examiner

Intriguing tale… Solstad expertly navigates the bizarre mind of a clever but lonely man locked in an existentialist nightmare

—— Telegraph

This is no straightforward crime novel…an exploration of guilt, inaction and moral quandaries

—— Nic Bottomley , Bath Life
Comments
Welcome to zzdbook comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdbook.com All Rights Reserved