Small Hours by Bobby Palmer

 

On the day that Jack Penwick is made redundant, he spots a mange-ridden fox in the middle of London. After cornering the fox he manages to contact a rescue centre. Just as the fox is being taken away Jack is convinced he hears it say “thank you”. Jack doesn’t have time to dwell on this as he then receives a phone call from his sister explaining she needs his help with their elderly parents. Returning to his childhood home he discovers that things are worse than he expected, and somehow the talking fox has followed him there.

Firstly, I want to mention the beautiful cover, the artwork is stunning. You get a sense of being in the countryside, with the city in the distance, on an early morning with the mist making everything hazy. The gorgeous colours would certainly attract my attention and have me crossing a bookshop to pick up the book to find out more.

One of my favourite books last year was Isaac And The Egg by Bobby Palmer, it was unique, emotive and uplifting. When I discovered that the author had a new book, I was very keen to read it. Unfortunately, Small Hours didn’t quite match the high standard set by Isaac And The Egg for me. It was always going to be a difficult act to follow.

There are a number of different voices narrating the story and it took me a little while to get to grips with this. Jack is the main character, he is an introvert, a numbers man and self-absorbed. As a teen he was desperate to escape from home, embarrassed by his parents. Having escaped he’s been reluctant to return, his contact with his family has been minimal. As a result of this, returning home is a shock for him.

Jack’s father, Gerry, is another of the narrators. We learn that Gerry has been living with dementia for a few years and the decline is gradually getting worse. The author does an amazing job at showing how the thought processes of someone with dementia might go; present one moment, convinced time has turned back thirty years in another, confusing a person with someone who has been dead for over a decade.

I liked the playful nature of the fox. I’m still not sure if the fox is allegorical. Is it Jack? Could it be Jack’s conscience? The fox was struggling to survive in the city, just as Jack was.

As Jack is trying to come to terms with what is happening with his parents we learn about how the couple met each other. I found the relationship between Gerry and Hazel to be the most endearing part of the novel. Two non-conformists, people who shouldn’t really “fit” together just click. This love story warmed my heart, the thought that the right person just “gets you” and knows what you need.

To me, the overall messages of the book are sacrifice and redemption. Parents sacrifice everything, wanting their children to have a better life than they did, and worrying about the wrong paths their children may take. And redemption because it’s never too late to change things.

Small Hours by Bobby Palmer will be published on 14^th March 2024 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Headline for a review copy.