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JP Henderson’s Daisy came as a surprise for two reasons. It seemed an unlikely book for No Exit to publish, as it’s not the crime-fiction for which the publisher is most known – and I wasn’t expecting, when I read the précis, for it to be such an enjoyable, funny, bitter–sweet read. And it is. It’s quite delightful.

At its heart is protagonist Herod ‘Rod’ Pinkney, the surviving child of George Pinkney. Brought up in comparative wealth, Herod is told from an early age, by both his parents, that he’s a disappointment and will never measure up to Solomon, the brother who died in an accident before Herod was born.

Despite many sometimes quite horrendous setbacks, Herod maintains a refreshingly positive, if somewhat offbeat outlook on the world. His life truly changes, when he sees Daisy on Judge Judy and sets off on a quest to find the woman he believes he’s fallen in love with.

What follows is a charming, smartly written book in which Herod emerges as an extremely unlikely, but very likeable hero. Full of wry humour, Daisy is packed with interesting, somewhat eccentric characters who aid Herod on his journey to find his one true love.

This is a book that will make you smile, even in the blackest of moments. It’s rather like watching reruns of Reggie Perrin on a loop. An entertaining read, Daisy is highly recommended.

 

JP Henderson | Daisy | No Exit | paperback original | £8.00 | 23 April 2020

 

Acknowledgements: This review is published as part of the virtual book tour. Many thanks to Anne Cater for the invitation and the publisher, No Exit Press, for the book proof.  All opinions are our own. All rights reserved. Please check out the other reviews on this tour.

See also: Prospect beautiful, Derek Jarman’s cottage‘; ‘Chris Whitaker’s small-town America’; ‘Nora Roberts’ Sanctuary: an Old Familiar’; Carver’s Nothing Important Happened Today’; By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept’; ‘Yvonne Battle-Fenton’s Remembered‘; ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised‘; ‘We should all be feminists‘; The not-so-invisible woman: 150 greats in their own words’; ‘How Penguin learned to fly – Allen Lane and the Original “Penguin Ten”‘; Dorothy L. Sayer’s Busman’s Holiday – Romek Marber for Penguin Crime (book covers we love).

This review is © 2020 by The Literary Shed. All rights reserved. All opinions are our own. We welcome your feedback and comments. If you wish to reproduce this piece, please do contact us to request permission. Any images are used for promotional purposes only. If we have unintentionally breached your copyright, please contact us and we will take the image down immediately. Thank you so much.

 

 

 

 

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