Winner of the Christopher Isherwood Prize

A Guardian, Spectator, Sunday Times, Financial Times and Evening Standard Book of the Year

'What a stunning novel.' Graham Norton

'Funny, passionate, heartbreaking.' Tracey Thorn

'Life-enhancing.' Scotsman

'Unforgettable.' Cólm Toibín

'Spectacular.' Books of the Year, Spectator

'An incredible book . . . about men and how important friendship can be to men.' Douglas Stuart

'My god this is gorgeous. Wild, wise, wonderful . . . Absolutely brilliant.' Russell T Davies

Everyone has a Tully Dawson: the friend who defines your life.

In the summer of 1986, James and Tully ignite a friendship based on music, films and the rebel spirit. With school over, they rush towards a magical weekend of youthful excess in Manchester played out against the greatest soundtrack ever recorded. And there a vow is made: to go at life differently.

Thirty years on, the phone rings. Tully has news.