For the Good Times

For the Good Times Synopsis

WINNER OF THE GORDON BURN PRIZE 2019
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ENCORE AWARD 2020

From the author of This Is Memorial Device.

'A gasp-inducing thrill of a ride.' i Independent

'An exhilarating novel, burning with rage, danger and dark humour.' Literary Review

'Remarkable . . . demented brilliance.' Scotland on Sunday

Belfast, 1970s: Sammy and his three friends live in an impoverished area of the city that has become the epicentre of a country seemingly intent on cannibalising itself. They love sharp clothes, a good drink, and the songs of Perry Como, whose commitment to clean living holds up a dissonant mirror to their own attempts to rise above their circumstances. They dream of a Free State, and their methods for achieving this are uncompromising.

But For the Good Times is not just a novel about the IRA. It is about the heartbreak and devastation that commitment to 'the cause' can bring; of violence and betrayal, breakdown and rebirth.