Betsy Tobin
novelist & bookseller
Thanks for stopping by. Here you can learn a bit more about what I write, what others say about my work, and what I like to read. And if you love bookshops (who among us doesn't?) check out the Ink@84 tab. Connect with me on social media.
BONE HOUSE
Set in 17th century rural England, BONE HOUSE is the tale of two women: one is large, voluptuous and charismatic -- a prostitute to whom many,
not just men, are drawn.
The other is young, slight and solitary -- a servant whose quest to solve the mystery of the prostitute's death leads her to shocking discoveries, unexpected love and the beginnings of a future.
Shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize, Winner of a Herodotus Prize
'Provocative and gripping...
a tale shimmering with psychological depth.
--New York Times
'A fine gothic novel which burrows under the skin.'
--The Times
THE BOUNCE
An extraordinary tale of love, death and lions set in the glamorous and squalid circus world of London in the 1870's.
Nineteen year old Nathan crosses the Atlantic in search of the mother who abandoned him as a young child. He takes a job in a circus south of the Thames, where he is quickly caught in a complex web of longing.
THE BOUNCE is gripping, vivid and powerfully evocative: a stunning story of mothers and sons, rejection and belonging, and the treacherous pull of love.
'Betsy Tobin mesmerises...'
--The Time
'Tobin’s treatment of the animals is a triumph…'
--Daily Mail
ICE LAND
An epic tale of forbidden love, based on a powerful retelling of Norse myth. ICE LAND vividly evokes a society on the brink of change, where the old values of kinship and loyalty are threatened by a new world order.
Beneath the shadow of a smouldering volcano, across a violent and inhospitable landscape, one woman fights to save her people from destruction.
ICE LAND is about belief, betrayal and the redemptive power of love.
'Tobin inhabits this pagan lnad with the passion and intensity of her characters.'
--The Observer
'A vivid evocation of an ancient land...'
--The Telegraph
CRIMSON CHINA
One freezing night, Angie wades into the sea in a drunken bid to commit suicide. Braced for death, instead she saves a man's life: a young Chinese cockle picker, the survivor of a tragic accident.
They share neither language nor experience, but she agrees to let him stay and disappear. Within a short time their pairing blossoms into something darkly passionate.
But Wen is a wanted man, on the run from a criminal gang who pose just as great a threat as the icy waters of Morecambe Bay. CRIMSON CHINA traps the reader from the outset, shining a light on a hidden world that runs in parallel to our own.
A Radio 4 Book At Bedtime and shortlisted for the RNA Epic Romantic Novel of the Year.
'Satisfyingly complex, with its may strands held together by the deceptively still sadness of the sea…'
--The Sunday Times
'This gripping study of loss and redemption is also an authentic portrait of an invisible underclass.’
--Financial Times
THINGS WE COULDN'T EXPLAIN
Some things just can't be explained...
It's the summer of '79 and the small town of Jericho, Ohio is awash with mysteries. Annemarie is blind, beautiful, virginal -- and pregnant. Ethan is the boy next door who would do anything to win her heart.
But when the Virgin Mary starts to appear in the sunset, the town is beseiged by zealots, tourists and profiteers.
Can love survive amidst the madness? A comic tale of young love, thwarted desire and the slippery nature of faith.
'Written with wit, compassion, warmth and a grasp of how imperfect human beings can command our sympathies, this is a serious treat.'
--The Independent
'Tobin is on top form in this perfectly-pitched romantic comedy ... a delight from start to finish.
--Lancashire Evening Post
About Me
I'm a novelist and the proud co-owner of INK@84 Bookshop in Islington, North London, though I was born and raised in the American Midwest. I resettled in the UK in 1989 and am the author of five books: BONE HOUSE, short-listed for the Commonwealth Prize and winner of a Herodotus Prize in America; THE BOUNCE; ICE LAND; CRIMSON CHINA, a BBC Radio 4 Book At Bedtime and short-listed for the RNA's Epic Romantic Novel of the Year; and THINGS WE COULDN'T EXPLAIN.
I also write short fiction and plays and Romantic Comedy under the pen name Natalie Cox (find out more about those books here: www.nataliecox.me.) I've taught creative writing for both Arvon and First Story.
I live in Islington with my family and two Great Danes. If you're in the neighbourhood, do drop by the bookshop: www.ink84bookshop.co.uk
Press Reviews
PRAISE FOR BONE HOUSE:
‘Betsy Tobin mesmerises...a fine gothic novel which burrows under the skin.’ The Times
‘Provocative and gripping...a tale shimmering with psychological depth.’ New York Times
‘Cuts through a tangle of dark and dirty secrets...a compelling story of haunted lives.’ Time Out
‘Wonderfully real...a surprisingly delicate murder mystery, tempered by great detail and remarkable control.’ Los Angeles Times
‘Vividly compelling...a brilliant debut.’ The Lady
‘An eloquently written tale of love, lust and sorcery -- and the darker places we are often forced to confront...a jolly good read.’ Myslexia
‘Entertaining and highly original.’ Harpers and Queen
‘Finely put together...a sober fairy tale.’ Observer
‘Elegant, sensual and unputdownable.’ Buzz
‘Poetic and haunting.’ Booklist
PRAISE FOR THE BOUNCE:
‘One glimpse of the fantastical and seedy world of the Victorian circus and you’re utterly drawn in…Delightful and bittersweet.’ The Big Issue
‘Tobin’s treatment of the animals is a triumph…Avoiding anthropomorphic cliché, she deftly portrays the discomfort of a lioness in the last stages of pregnancy, the awkwardness of her mate and the sheer, muscle-bound physicality of the creatures themselves.’ Daily Mail
‘Betsy Tobin has set her beautifully written second novel in a 19th-century London circus…Satisfying.’ Independent
‘This novel can only be described in terms of something delicious like a real pavlova, full of wonderful layers for your intellectual teeth. For me, good historical novels are like good science fiction: they examine our fears, foibles and ways of thinking in a setting so different from our own, but through characters who feel like us, that we are forced to rethink. This The Bounce does so well…a stunning novel and worth the contentrated reading it deserves.’ Historical Novels Review
‘Betsy Tobin’s The Bounce is set amid the excitement of a 19th century English circus, moving convincingly between human and animal perspectives of events…A sad and powerful book, which leaves a strong emotional imprint.’ The Bookseller
‘Spell-binding…a captivating work from a prize-winning author.’ Lancashire Evening Post
‘Worth rolling up for this darkly romantic book.’ Play
PRAISE FOR ICE LAND:
‘A vivid evocation of an ancient land...Betsy Tobin combines the sensuality of Angela Carter with a profound feeling for a violent, unstable and fascinating landscape…this world pulses with subversion and unexpected passion. An elegy not merely to a different age…but also crucially to a tradition of storytelling; the gathering around a bright fire to hear tales of hardship, magic and love. It is surprising just how resonant they still are.’
Saturday Telegraph
‘Betsy Tobin captures this world in all its complexity: the fierce feuds, the slyness and warmth of a people who will sacrifice a daughter to kin, and slit the throat of kin for the sake of a stranger. Here is a world where magic and mystery rise from the currents of nature and not in defiance of it.’
Independent on Sunday
‘The novels of Betsy Tobin are dark and bloody, sensual and mythic. They are also set in a past that, thanks to her skill at inhabiting her characters, seems often more immediate than the world around us…Tobin inhabits this pagan land with the passion and intensity of her characters.’ The Observer
‘Ice Land is a lyrically written epic inspired by the beauty and history of that island, and the rich world of Norse mythology that infuses it…Indeed the novel grafts a modern sensibility on to ancient myth and is as much a contemplation of love and relationships as an epic adventure…Tobin finds female complexity at the heart of Norse mythology.’ Sunday Telegraph
‘One does not often meet a heroine with the power of flight, but Betsy Tobin's characters are hardly ordinary people…Not just a good story, but one of the greatest - told very nicely.’ The Times
PRAISE FOR CRIMSON CHINA:
'Betsy Tobin coaxes these damaged lives into alignment, cutting between points of view with great skill and sensitivity. At times unbearably tense, Crimson China has lots to say about the trade-off between need and exploitation, and the way love can erode cultural difference.’ The Guardian
‘This fine novel grows in pace and power, propelled not only by its social conscience but also a vividly drawn cast and a gradually building sense of jeopardy as the snakeheads close in.’ Daily Mail
‘Satisfyingly complex, with its may strands held together by the deceptively still sadness of the sea…the stories of all the nation’s illegal immigrants are somehow illuminated and, as a memorial, the novel is a success.’ Sunday Times
‘Tobin knows how to spin a tale and keep the pages turning. She captures the sense of alienation felt by her characters, and the quiet desperation of an invisible underclass.’ Independent
‘Tobin seamlessly incorporates documentary material into the story. This gripping study of loss and redemption is also an authentic portrait of an invisible underclass.’ Financial Times
‘Betsy Tobin ingeniously manages to portray events with a tragic realism that doesn’t call for theatrics. Instead there is a deep-rooted emotion here that doesn’t require fireworks; rather it is an aching throb that seeps through…a captivating novel with a marvelous realism.’ Book Caterpillar
PRAISE FOR THINGS WE COULDN'T EXPLAIN:
'Things We Couldn’t Explain is about first love, miracles, and the moral choices people make in the face of the inexplicable... Written with wit, compassion, warmth and a grasp of how imperfect human beings can command our sympathies, this is a serious treat.' The Independent
'Novelist and playwright Betsy Tobin is on top form in this perfectly-pitched romantic comedy...Things We Couldn’t Explain is a gorgeously romantic, comic and ingenious tale. Tobin sets up the engaging clash between science, faith and doubt but with the focus firmly on fun and mystery rather than dry religious doctrine...Beautifully written and cleverly conceived, Things We Couldn’t Explain is a delight from start to finish.'
Lancashire Evening Post
'A tender, charming love story between two awkward, fumbling teenagers who have no idea what they are doing...Annemarie's blindness is brilliantly portrayed. This isn't an 'Issue' driven book - she's more than aware that the blindness is part of who she is, and more than compensates for it. She's no tragic heroine - just another teenager who struggles with growing up, falling in love and dealing with attention, even if the circumstances in which she does these things are somewhat heightened...The writing is beautiful, and will bring to mind anyone's teenage days - full of hormones, confusion and misplaced anger...I'd say that this is one of those rare books that can be enjoyed equally by both parents and teenagers...Absolutely delightful - both heartwarming and thought provoking.' The Bookbag
In London? Love bookshops?
Come see us at our beautiful indie bookshop in Highbury, North London. We have a fabulous selection of curated new fiction and non-fiction with hot and cold drinks and a lovely rear garden. We also host launches, events and workshops.
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What I'm Reading...
Like most booksellers, I read mostly new fiction and non-fiction, both literary and commercial. I only review books I've finished and enjoyed (life's too short to comment on those I didn't, plus I'm from the Midwest and we are pathologically nice.) Here's some recent faves...
Funny, filthy, caustic, clever: Nussaibah Younis’ debut is an eye-opening journey into the world of ISIS brides, white saviours, dysfunctional aid organisations and complicit regimes. When a British academic is recruited to travel to Iraq as part of a UN effort to ‘rehabilitate’ ISIS brides, she quickly finds herself mired in bureaucratic lunacy and compromised in every possible way. A high-speed read with important things to say about intolerance of every stripe: generational, religious, moral, political, emotional. Fundamentally lays bare the uncomfortable truth that in order to help others, some times we must first help ourselves.
Astonishing, damning and highly entertaining (if it weren’t so utterly depressing) kiss-and-tell memoir about Facebook’s senior leadership from 2011-2017, written by a former insider. Wynn-Williams confirms everything you ever thought about Mark Zuckerberg: a geeky narcissistic man-child who operates in a near-total moral vacuum; and Sheryl Sandberg: a calculating, work-obsessed bully with anger management issues (whose book Lean In should really have been called Lean On.) CARELESS PEOPLE exposes with terrifying clarity just how powerful a political tool Facebook has become (and how it will continue to wreak havoc unless we manage to rein it in); and chronicles the misogyny, entitlement, casual indifference and ‘lethal carelessness’ at the heart of one of the biggest and most powerful companies in the world. Required reading.
Weidenfeld & Nicholson’s beautifully packaged reissue of Laurie Colwin’s 1978 comic novel HAPPY ALL THE TIME: four young people in New York meet, fall in love, become friends and at some point discover that a life lived with love & friendship is far better than one lived without. Clever, funny, eccentric: like a mashup of Sally Rooney, Nora Ephron and Elizabeth Von Arnim, set half a century ago. With an introduction by the fabulous Katherine Heiny.
Poignant tale of fathers and sons and male friendship which demonstrates that out of tragedy and loss can bloom care, compassion and selflessness. Tom Lamont's GOING HOME is a beautifully captured portrait of evolved male humanity which proves that love reaches across both generations and blood ties and binds us to each other.
Get in touch...
Connect with me on Facebook or Instagram, or get in touch using the contact form below.
I'm represented in the UK by Felicity Rubenstein at Lutyens & Rubinstein, and in the US by Kim Witherspoon at InkWell Management. For TV & Film enquiries please contact Lucinda Prain at Casarotto Ramsay & Associates.