Home
/
Fiction
/
Necessary Ends
Necessary Ends
Jan 13, 2026 2:09 PM

Author:Stanley Middleton

Necessary Ends

'WITH NEARLY FORTY NOVELS UNDER HIS BELT, STANLEY MIDDLETON IS A SPECIES OF ALAN AYCKBOURN. . . HE DEALS WITH THE MARRIED MIDDLE CLASS. . AND FINDS POIGNANT TRUTHS AMID THEIR PREOCCUPATIONS. ' TIME OUT Sam Martin feels himself to be lucky. He lives in rich retirement and in good health despite his old age, busying himself with painting, walking and with the affairs of others he observes from his Norfolk bungalow. Confronted by a necessary and approaching end, the strong purpose of his earlier life seems to have diminished; but there are still surprises to be had, especially in a constricted life, as Sam, and those around him soon discover.

Reviews

A sensuous, beguiling tapestry

—— William Boyd , New York Times

Timelessly resonant

—— Independent

Mankell uses his deep knowledge of Mozambique’s history and politics to great advantage in this unusual and riveting story

—— Daily Mail

Mankell is the master. Let’s be honest: I hate thrillers. But I love Mankell

—— Viv Groskop , Red Magazine

Profound and compelling… Paints a convincing and poignant picture

—— Good Book Guide

Intriguing

—— Tina Moran , Daily Express

A gripping page turner

—— O, The Oprah Magazine

Jenkins shows she has a gift for tender comedy

—— Scotsman

A moving study

—— Suzy Feay , Financial Times

I can think of no better companion than Janette Jenkins' pitch-perfect reimagining of a regret-tinged twilight of Noel Coward's life

—— Harper's Bazaar

A study in melancholy, very well observed

—— William Leith , Evening Standard

Perfectly-tuned imagining… Jenkins’ telling of it...saves it from any hint of predictability

—— Lesley Mcdowell , Independent on Sunday

Jenkins’s prose is thoughtful and sensitive…and her depiction of Coward’s final stage performance, which was a disaster, is particularly insightful

—— Lesley McDowell, 5 stars , Independent On Sunday

As broad and panoramic as ever.

—— Craig Brown , Mail on Sunday

There are some dazzling satirical riffs and politically incorrect laughs.

—— Jake Kerridge , Sunday Express

Wolfe’s prose is as punchy as ever.

—— Time Out

Energetically set against the deco licentiousness of Florida’s steamiest party capital.

—— Vogue

Class, family, wealth and corruption are all themes in this examination of life in Miami.

—— Sunday Business Post

[Tells] us about the way we live now... enjoyable.

—— Wynn Wheldon , Spectator

Classic Wolfe. A delight

—— William Leith , Evening Standard

Epic, hectic, satirical… It’s scathing, funny, and has great set-piece scenes

—— Brandon Robshaw , Independent on Sunday

Contemporary Miami gets the Wolfe treatment in a grand, sweeping satire on race, class, lust and immigration

—— Sunday Telegraph

Wonderful

—— Robert Bound , Monocle

Parks is one of the best living writers of English, and this book is so good you don't want it to end

—— Nicholas Lezard , Guardian

If, like me, you relish Italy, railways and grumbling, this is the most transporting book

—— Christopher Hirst , Independent

A fun, informative and detailed journey

—— By the Dart
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