The List of Suspicious Things

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There is a strong sense of place and time in the book and although I grew up a few years later than the setting, much of it was nostalgic - the games of Bulldog, the excitement of a new lip gloss and the anti Thatcher sentiment definitely very familiar. Also a time of innocence when children played freely in the streets but also an era where adults didn’t quite want to grasp just how dangerous characters like ‘Uncle’ Derek were. But when Trout is put on trial, no one believes he could have done it, apart from Mary Jane and Zona’s best friend Lucy, who was always suspicious of Trout. As the trial raises to fever pitch and the men of Greenbrier County stand aligned against them, Mary Jane and Lucy must decide whether to reveal Zona’s greatest secret in the service of justice. But it’s Zona herself, from beyond the grave, who still has one last revelation to make.

So, I guess there’s a life lesson for me about really trusting your instincts. It’s about giving yourself space and time to work out what’s truly right for you. It’s so important to uncover your direction; uncover where you need to lead yourself. I’ve learned to go where the universe takes me even if I feel unsure or scared of what that might involve. This has led to me undertaking a PhD at Bristol University at the same time as learning to write and working to get published. Jennie: I was in a conversation with Hannah when my first ever full manuscript request came through. It was great to be able to share it with someone who totally ‘got’ what that meant. It was even more helpful to have her mop up my tears when I got the subsequent rejection. Gloriously funny, utterly heartbreaking, and really just brilliant, We All Want Impossible Things is one of the best novels on friendship I've ever read. I loved it. AJ PEARCE, author of DEAR MRS BIRD Jennie is now finishing the final edit of the novel. Hutchinson Heinemann (an arm of Penguin) plans to publish it in 2024, before translations into German, Spanish and other langauges.

Devastatingly humorous and humorously devastating, We All Want Impossible Things is an unbelievably brilliant and funny book about friendship, family, food, sex, and death. Catherine Newman serves up a masterclass in narrative - you'll stay up late devouring every word. KATHERINE HEINY, author of EARLY MORNING RISER and STANDARD DEVIATION This whole experience came about because I knew instinctively that I needed to do something different. I needed courage, dramatic change and a sprinkling of foolishness to make this happen but I listened to my instincts and the rest is history.

Protagonist – does your main character share traits with another? Are they of a similar type? A tortured artist? A stand-up comedian? A reclusive young woman?I have no deadlines or commitments to produce anything and yet I still show up for work every single day. Strictly speaking, I don’t get paid because that comes when I get my book deal. But I show up to do my work as a writer. I make lots of decisions in terms of what I need to do. That might be writing, but more often it’s learning. Podcasts, films, reading. And even dog -walking. It’s during these outdoor spells that everything percolates, and I have my ideas and inspiration. A book so full of heart that your own will explode with the sheer joy of the goodness of humans, even when faced with pure evil in its many guises. And on top of all that, it carries a message to women that we should remember every day. It gave me the courage to follow my true North. And it’s not just for artists or writers. When we get to a certain age or stage in life, it can feel as though our path is set. This can be a real impediment to doing/being somebody different. Humans are elastic so whatever age/stage you have the capacity to be something completely different. Never write off the ability to follow your dreams. In Newman's hands... this tale of love and friendship is tender, funny, life-affirming joy. MARIE CLAIRE, 'Best Books of 2023'

Without meaning to sound sycophantic, I have always been inspired by you for deciding to go it alone and set up your own business. You were completely in the unknown, and although things didn’t happen in an instant, you held your nerve. Everyday leadership is far more subtle than corporate leadership. Is it a conscious or subconscious thing?And if your best comp title doesn’t fit into the guidelines (e.g., A Kestrel for a Knave would be too old) use your judgement. I decided that the agents I was querying would definitely have heard of, if not read A Kestrel for a Knave and that in combination with The Trouble with Goats and Sheep it was the most accurate and best way to represent my work. Hutchinson Heinemann has signed Jennie Godfrey’s “funny, clever and emotional coming-of-age story” The List of Suspicious Things in an overnight pre-empt. The List of Suspicious Things is a tender and moving coming of age story about family, friendship and community. Sometimes the strongest connections are found in the most unlikely of places. Catherine Newman sees the heartbreak and comedy of life with wisdom and unflinching compassion. The way she finds the extraordinary in the everyday is nothing short of poetry. She's a writer's writer-and a human's human. KATHERINE CENTER , New York Times bestselling author Yes, I do actually. I know it takes a certain amount of self-leadership to follow such an uncertain path. I have no idea whether I’ll ever succeed but I show up every day. I feel as though it’s instinctive. It can be really challenging. I like to take control of whatever I can, and I want to shine.

I adored this book. Jubilant, devastating, tender, heartbreaking, I found myself both in tears and 'snorty-laughing'. I know it will be one of those novels I return to time and time again, and recommend to everyone. There is so much love, funniness, honesty, courage, mess, bounce and surprise in this book, and not shred of it is mawkish. Loss might be the central theme but it is also the most robust and glorious affirmation of life. A masterclass on friendship, family love, memory, and the messiness of life and love and dying. Pure genius. RACHEL JOYCE Beautiful and emotional ... heartbreakingly sad, but also full of humour and ultimately about living and love. I will recommend this to everyone. PRIMA After making the decision to ‘press pause’ I gave myself space to decide what I wanted to do. ‘I’m going to write a book’ floated into my consciousness and I decided to give it a go. I have heard nothing but good things about [ We All Want Impossible Things] and they were all quite right - it's so warm and funny and full of great observations ... it looks set for rip-roaring success, deservedly so! CLARE CHAMBERS, author of SMALL PLEASURESButterfield said: “I don’t buy many books anymore, I’m not really supposed to, but I only do it when I fall in love with something extraordinary and there are actually novelists here who I’ve naughtily bought. And The List of Suspicious Things is exactly that, an extraordinary novel.