India Knight’s new novel has been described by The Times as ‘the funniest novel about the female midlife crisis’, so we’re delighted to announce it's our August book club choice. Clara Hutt, 46, is a single mother and writer who believes she is in her prime, thank you very much. That is, until her plastic surgery-loving friend Gaby moves in…
Fresh from sun-kissed California and living on a diet of yoga and kale, Gaby is pushing 50 but looks 15 years younger. What with her son’s lithe new girlfriend wafting around the house in her underwear, Clara begins to think that perhaps she’s got this ageing business all wrong. Not least because she’s started making an ‘oof’ sound when she sits down, builders have stopped wolf-whistling her, and the frown line across her forehead is growing ever-deeper.
Would a little Botox or filler be so wrong? Even a nip and tuck? Or is there another way of growing old gracefully – and how far is she prepared to go to find out?
Laced with Knight’s characteristic wit, the novel explores the subtle art of dealing with ageing while looking like you don't really mind. As Clara struggles to negotiate the path between ‘mumsy’ and ‘mutton’, her story opens up bigger questions about women’s relationships with their looks and what really makes us happy.
India is the author of 'My Life on a Plate', another Clara Hutt story; and her books have sold over 440,000 copies. She has also written several non-fiction titles, and writes a regular column in the Sunday Times. She lives in London with her three children.
Praise for Mutton
'Every so often you will hit a line so funny and true it will make you gasp out loud . . . sharp and bracing as a Claridges martini' Jenny Colgan, Telegraph
'Had me choking with laughter . . . Knight has pulled off a clever trick here. With humour and wit, she's addressed the serious subject of how to swallow the bitter pill of ageing not necessarily gracefully.' Evening Standard
We're sorry, but all 200 copies of Mutton have now gone - but you can still get a copy from Amazon.