THE LIP
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WRITERS’ GUILD BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD
SHORTLISTED FOR THE HOLYER AN GOF LITERARY FICTION AWARD
LONGLISTED FOR THE AUTHORS’ CLUB BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD
Away from the hotels and holiday lets, there is an unseen side of Cornwall, where the shifting uncertainties of the future breed resentment and mistrust.
Melody Janie is hidden. She lives alone in a caravan in Bones Break: a small cliff-top on Cornwall's north coast. She spends her time roaming her territory, spying on passing tourists and ramblers, and remembering. She sees everything and yet remains unseen.
However, when a stranger enters her life, she is forced to confront not only him but the terrible tragedies of her past.
The Lip is a novel about childhood, isolation and mental health, told in the unique and unforgettable voice of Melody Janie.
Voted Number 1 of the Top 10 Books Set in Cornwall
'This cleverly woven story repays rereading as the full extent of Melody’s harrowing experience becomes clear. The Lip is a tender and stirring reminder that each of us has the power to make a difference. It shows a side of Cornwall that many holidaymakers rarely see, or perhaps determinedly turn away from.' - Guardian
'[Melody Janie's] life weaves intimately close to this place, vesting a lyrical magic over these weather-beaten landscapes.' - Telegraph
'Viscerally described ... I'm still thinking about it.' - Daily Mail
'This unsparing debut novel portrays the unromantic side of Cornwall few visitors see and which so many novelists choose to overlook. Charlie Carroll inhabits his damaged heroine so completely, and with so little trace of first-novel-ego that I can't wait to see what he writes next." - Patrick Gale, author of Mother's Boy and Rough Music
'A moving and affecting novel about life on the edge, with a very special flavour of wild and rugged Cornwall. It’s also a sensitive portrait of grief, belonging and atonement.' - Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters and The Sunshine Man
'Redeeming and beautiful and full of brave characters and heart … I bloody loved it. The story grew roots that went far deeper than I expected. I found myself racing to the climax and it was executed perfectly. A triumph.' - Ericka Waller, author of Dog Days and Goodbye Birdie Greenwing
'The Lip is beautifully complex, heartbreaking and atmospheric. I was completely immersed in Melody Janie's world and really "got" the possessive charge of her land and the past that she was trying so desperately to save. Fabulous read.' - LV Matthews, author of To Love a Liar and The Twins
'Really enjoyed the story of Melody Janie, a young Cornish woman struggling to come to terms with a recent bereavement in an environment which, although wild and beautiful, only echoes her grief and isolation... I loved The Lip and particularly the mental health story line which is such an important one. Brilliantly written, too.' - Mary Karras, author of One Night Beneath the Lemon Trees and The Making of Mrs Petrakis
'Atmospheric, haunting writing, a heroine you instantly love. It’s what I’ve been sneaking off to read when I get a minute away from the kids.' - Ilona Bannister, author of Five and When I Ran Away
'A powerful story, poignant, and beautifully told. Melody Janie’s past and present come alive in a voice that moved me and will stay with me for a long time.' - Matson Taylor, author of Roman Mornings and The Miseducation of Evie Epworth
'I loved this story of Melody Janie, and her life lived on the very edge. The sense of connection after disconnection is so movingly and subtly evoked, as we see distrust and fear turning, eventually, to understanding and tenderness. The Lip is a stirring reminder that each of us has the capacity to make a big difference in small ways. Throughout, the Cornish coast is powerfully conjured, as beautiful as it is brutal, and perfectly in keeping with a story that manages to be both uplifting and uncompromising.' - Emylia Hall, author of The Shell House Detectives
'A moving meditation on making judgements, on place, home and independence.' - Zoe Somerville, author of The Night of the Flood and The Marsh House
'A beautifully written, haunting story about loss, grief, mental health – and so much more … Poetic and incredibly powerful … I can’t stop thinking about it.' - Stela Brinzeanu, author of Set in Stone
'A heartbreaking, powerful and unforgettable story that stays with you. I adored The Lip.' - Miranda Dickinson, author of The Start of Something and Take a Look at Me Now
'Such a compelling book. I think about it often.' - Adam Farrer, author of Cold Fish Soup and Broken Biscuits
'A novel as much about isolation as it is grief, mental health and enforced change, it builds to a moving conclusion with a mighty twist. With The Lip now added to his repertoire, Carroll is proving to be very much like a modern-day Orwell, with social awareness and humanity at the core of what he writes.' - Buzz Magazine
'Beautiful … the last time I read a book that affected me as much as this one it was The Loney.' - The Bookbag