Sea Monster Tattoo

Stories addressing contemporary dilemmas and classic situations: disastrous dates, irritating girlfriends, obscure longings for escape. There is Mary, struggling with quiche Lorraine in  Home Economics class and dreaming of Russian sailors; Moira, who’s escaped to Latin America and sunshine and finds herself longing for the dreariness of home; and the strains of a mother/daughter relationship come to the fore when they go swimming together.

‘Really good short story writers are always advised, rather tiresomely, to try a novel; I would only advise her to write another collection as brilliant as this little jewel’

Philip Hensher, Mail on Sunday

‘Ruth Thomas … has unleased a bright, new talent upon our bookshelves. Smart, confident and bursting with cool humour’

The Herald