Cold Water by Gwendoline Riley

Cold Water

Gwendoline Riley

Twenty year old Carmel McKisco works nights in a grim Manchester bar. She dreams of escaping to Cornwall, her ex-boyfriend Tony and finding out what happened to her teenage hero, a singer from Macclesfield. A short debut novel which paints a rather dreary, rainy picture of Manchester - can be read in one sitting.

Extract
When Gareth has cunts in the restaurant he says he's extra nice and it undermines them. He thinks that's the noble way to be. I'm afraid I have different impulses. Occasionally I lose my rag and I hate it when I do. I've screamed at people, I've thrown drinks in their faces. Bad behaviour, you'd better believe it. But more often I let them say what they like and then, later on, I get like a geisha on my hands and knees picking up broken glass and torn cigarette ends, sweeping up smashed bottles into a dustpan, mopping up spills and sick, and making them see me do it and look how young and pretty I am on my hands and knees in their shit.
Parallels
  • The Cutting Room by Louise Welsh
  • Negative Space by Zoe Strachan