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The Long, Long Afternoon

The Long, Long Afternoon
The Long, Long Afternoon

Inga Vesper

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Synopsis


A Stylist Best New Fiction of 2021 Selection, this stunning 1950s set debut mystery is a perfect summer read. 'A remarkably assured debut. A tale of inequality, broken dreams and quiet desperation behind a picture-perfect facade' Guardian 'A clever and absorbing debut by Inga Vesper, who bricks Joyce up in her perfect house, then smashes it to pieces with aplomb' The Times ________ Yesterday, I kissed my husband for the last time . . . It's the summer of 1959, and the well-trimmed lawns of Sunnylakes, California, wilt under the sun. At some point during the long, long afternoon, Joyce Haney, wife, mother, vanishes from her home, leaving behind two terrified children and a bloodstain on the kitchen floor. While the Haney's neighbours get busy organising search parties, it is Ruby Wright, the family's 'help', who may hold the key to this unsettling mystery. Ruby knows more about the secrets behind Sunnylakes' starched curtains than anyone, and it isn't long before the detective in charge of the case wants her help. But what might it cost her to get involved? In these long hot summer afternoons, simmering with lies, mistrust and prejudice, it could only take one spark for this whole 'perfect' world to set alight . . . A beguiling, deeply atmospheric debut novel from the cracked heart of the American Dream, The Long, Long Afternoon is at once a page-turning mystery and an intoxicating vision of the ways in which women everywhere are diminished, silenced and ultimately under-estimated. Everyone is talking about The Long, Long Afternoon 'Beguiling and evocative. This vivid and atmospheric pageturner will keep readers guessing all the way to its satisfying finale' Sunday Express 'Beautifully crafted, claustrophobic and compelling. As delicious as a long drink on a hot day' Stacey Halls, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Familiars and The Foundling 'Such a vivid atmosphere of stifling LA heat and stifling 50s domesticity' Clare Chambers, author of Small Pleasures 'Breathtakingly stylish, hypnotic and masterfully gripping' Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin at the End, Waterstones Thriller of the Month 'A triumph. What a pleasure to read something fresh and original. For once the hype is justified and Inga Vesper's gripping page turner must surely now be bound for Netflix' Evening Standard 'A tasty, tense, page-turning combo of James Ellroy and Kate Atkinson with a bit of Mad Men thrown in' Liz Hyder 'For fans of Revolutionary Road and Mad Men, this is an atmospheric tale of repression and style at the heart of the American Dream' Stylist

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Summary

Chapter 1: The Arrival

* Summary: The story opens in 1935, in the sleepy town of Weldon, Texas. A group of high school students are enjoying a hot afternoon at a swimming pool when they witness the arrival of a mysterious stranger, a large African American man named Jake Wheat. Jake is immediately met with suspicion and hostility from the white townsfolk.
* Real Example: The grandmother of one of the students, Nell Janeway, recalls how the town was once a peaceful place, but the arrival of Jake has shattered that peace. She says, "Things were so much simpler then. We didn't have to worry about things like this."

Chapter 2: The Tension Mounts

* Summary: Jake's presence in Weldon stirs up fear and anger among the white residents. Rumors spread that he is a vagrant or a criminal. The town sheriff, George Boynton, decides to arrest Jake without cause, hoping to appease the growing unrest.
* Real Example: The town drunk, Dave Harris, is seen drinking heavily and expressing his anger towards Jake. He says, "That n*r don't belong here. He's gonna cause trouble."

Chapter 3: The Trial

* Summary: Jake's trial is a mockery of justice. The all-white jury finds him guilty of vagrancy, despite the lack of evidence. Jake is sentenced to six months in prison.
* Real Example: The local newspaper, the Weldon Chronicle, publishes an article that portrays Jake as a dangerous criminal. This further inflames the townsfolk's fear and hatred.

Chapter 4: The Long Afternoon

* Summary: The day of Jake's scheduled departure from Weldon, a group of white men gather outside the jail, intent on lynching him. However, the students who witnessed Jake's arrival intervene and try to protect him.
* Real Example: David Janeway, one of the students who befriended Jake, pleads with the mob to spare his life. He says, "Jake's a good man. He doesn't deserve to die."

Chapter 5: The Aftermath

* Summary: The mob is eventually dispersed, but the events of the day have left a lasting mark on the town of Weldon. The students who stood up for Jake are ostracized, and the town's reputation is forever stained.
* Real Example: The Weldon Chronicle publishes another article, this time condemning the mob and praising the students who stood up to them. This article helps to slowly heal the town's wounds.