A Stranger City

WINNER OF THE WINGATE LITERARY PRIZE 2020When a dead body is found in the Thames, caught in the chains of HMS Belfast, it begins a search for a missing woman. A policeman, a documentary film-maker and an Irish nurse named Chrissie all respond to the death of the unknown woman in their own ways. London is a place of random meetings, shifting relationships - and some, like Chrissie, intersect with many. The wonderful Linda Grant weaves a tale around ideas of home; how London can be a place of exile or expulsion, how home can be a physical place or an idea, how all our lives intersect. ''Reminds us of the depth and strength of the communities that are our beloved London. Thank you'' Philippe Sands''There''s a Dickensian quality to the opening scene and yet it''s one of the most bitingly contemporary publications of the year - a shifting, polyphonic narrative'' Hephzibah Anderson, Mail on Sunday''There is a richness in this novel, found in a migrant experience that is deeply embedded rather than distinct from its environment... a compelling read'' Jake Arnott, Guardian''The novel is fleet-footed... the way even the minor characters flare into life gives the novel richness and depth... a novel fit for shifting, uncertain times'' Suzi Feay, Financial Times