The Girls: A Story of Village Life

Synopsis

In a picturesque Cotswolds village, Janet and Susan—known simply as “the girls”—have built a quiet, settled life together as partners in love and business. Their routine is disrupted when Sue leaves for a month-long trip and Jan finds herself unexpectedly drawn into the company of Alan, a friendly stranger who helps her at a local craft fair. When an unexpected pregnancy brings Alan back into their lives, the seemingly idyllic arrangement takes an increasingly dark and unsettling turn. What begins as a gentle portrait of village life gradually becomes a macabre story of murder, desire, friendship, and the lengths people will go to protect the lives they have created.

Wry, strange, and darkly comic, The Girls combines literary fiction with suspense and black humor. John Bowen's offbeat novel explores domesticity, intimacy, and the hidden violence beneath an apparently peaceful community.

About the Author

John Bowen (1924–2019) was an English novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and television writer. Born in Calcutta, India, he was raised in England and worked in journalism and advertising before publishing his first novels. He later developed a successful career writing for the stage and television, including the acclaimed folk-horror television play Robin Redbreast (1970). The Girls was originally published in 1986 and was reissued by McNally Editions in 2023.

Publisher
McNally Editions

Publication Date
November 14, 2023

Format
Paperback

Pages
240

Subjects
Literary Fiction · Dark Humor · Suspense · LGBTQ+ Fiction · Mystery

ISBN
9781946022707