Small Pleasures : Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction

LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTIONA BBC 2 'BETWEEN THE COVERS' BOOK CLUB PICK'Wonderful' RICHARD OSMAN'Perfect' INDIA KNIGHT'Beautiful' JESSIE BURTON'Witty and sharp' DAVID NICHOLLS1957, the suburbs of south east London. Jean Swinney is a journalist on a local paper, trapped in a life of duty and disappointment from which there is no likelihood of escape. When a young woman, Gretchen Tilbury, contacts the paper to claim that her daughter is the result of a virgin birth, it is down to Jean to discover whether she is a miracle or a fraud.

As the investigation turns her quiet life inside out, Jean is suddenly given an unexpected chance at friendship, love and - possibly - happiness. 'Gorgeous . .

. I could not recommend it more' PANDORA SYKES'Remarkable . .

. Small Pleasures is no small pleasure' THE TIMES'Irresistible . .

. wry, perceptive and quietly devastating' MAIL ON SUNDAY