Shy Creatures A Novel
Shy Creatures, a novel by Clare Chambers, is set to be published by HarperCollins in 2024 and spans 400 pages. This literary mystery unfolds in 1960s England, focusing on Helen Hansford, an art therapist at a psychiatric hospital. Her life takes a dramatic turn with the arrival of William Tapping, a mute man who has lived in isolation for decades. As Helen becomes intrigued by William’s past and his artistic talent, she finds herself entangled in a web of secrets that challenges her own life choices.
Readers will discover a narrative rich in themes of coming of age and the complexities of relationships. The story explores the intersection of personal and artistic liberation against the backdrop of post-World War II England. As Helen navigates her rebellious love affair and her growing fascination with William, the novel delves into the nuances of confinement and freedom, revealing how hidden truths can reshape lives. Shy Creatures offers a thoughtful examination of the delicate layers of human experience, making it a compelling read for those interested in historical fiction and literary mysteries.
Official synopsis Publisher
“A beautiful story of unfolding secrets and unforeseen consequences, filled with moments that are somehow restrained and astute and gorgeously written all at the same time.”–Holly Gramazio, bestselling author of The Husbands
“Infinitely moving, quirky, acutely observed and beautifully written…Confirms Clare Chambers as one of our most talented writers.”–The Guardian
An alluring literary mystery full of secrets and lies, when an art teacher at a psychiatric hospital in 1960s England finds her life turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious patient who has spent decades living in complete isolation with his elderly aunts in a decrepit Victorian house. Perfect for fans of Ann Patchett, Barbara Kingsolver, and Tessa Hadley.
In all failed relationships there is a tipping point. It goes unnoticed at the time but can later be identified as the beginning of the decline. For Helen it was the weekend that the Hidden Man came to Westbury Park…
The London suburb of Croydon,1964: Helen Hansford is unmarried and in her thirties. Something of a disappointment to her middle-class parents, she’s an art therapist at the Westbury Park psychiatric hospital, where she has been having a rebellious love affair with her colleague Gil, a dashing but married doctor.
One spring afternoon they receive a call about a disturbance at a derelict, vine-covered Victorian house a few miles up the road. There the police find a mute, thirty-seven-year-old man called William Tapping, his hair and beard down to his waist. It appears he lives in the old house with his elderly, frail aunt, who expires as soon as she’s admitted to the hospital. No one knows why William has been shut away for decades, unseen by neighbors, with only his two now-deceased aunts for company. Westbury Park becomes his refuge.
When it emerges that William is not only sane but a talented artist, Helen comes to see him as something of a personal project. But as she tries to solve the puzzle of the Hidden Man’s past, Helen’s own carefully constructed life of secrets begins to unravel…
A gorgeously written and life-affirming novel about life’s delicate layers of experience and connection, Shy Creatures reveals all the different ways we can be confined…and liberated.
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