The Wainwright Boys

The Wainwright Boys by Paul Webb

Any book set in the Lake District is set to be a winner in my mind , and this one did not disappoint.
Four men , seemingly unknown to each other receive a letter from a solicitor informing them that they need to get themselves to the picturesque town of Keswick.
The book follows these oddbeat men from different places to find out what awaits them there.

An unusual and unique plot which has many emotions and lots of interest to keep you reading.

The Wainright Boys by Paul Webb is a darkly funny and very well written novella set in a place close to my heart, the Lake District in Cumbria (Keswick was a regular day out for us so it was an essential read!)

In 1976, at a Christian Brotherhood holiday camp, Mary Wainwright kept a red leatherette diary, a very detailed diary of her time there. It's the present day and a solicitors letter has been sent to four men, four very different men, to come to the Lake District, for it will be very worth their while, to the tune of a share of a quarter of a million pounds worth their while

The wry humour within the Wainright boys had me chuckling throughout and there could not be four more different guests to a party. An elaborate scheme is set up to encourage these four men to come to the Lake District and not one of them has a clue why. What follows is an often hilarious but utterly intriguing account of their summons from their current lives and their behaviour when they arrive at Cumbria, culminating in a gut-busting trek up Blencathra (usually takes a few hours but have never done it with "Sharp Edge" because that is pure sadism! JKJK, it is a hikers dream tbh - Even the title and namesake Mary Waingright is a nod to "The Wainwrights" which is the local name for the tops of the fells - nice little detail in that)

I digress, the book is a good read and I really wish there was more of it imho. The descriptions of the area show a great love and understanding of the Lake District and the narrative and dialogue flowed really well. A good, fun read with a little bit of a plot twist that rounds it off nicely. A quick read I that I recommend highly

Thank you to Netgalley, Troubador, Matador and the author Paul Webb for this awesome ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A funny and well-written story where you will love to hate the characters!

The funniest novel I've read in years. Its dark humour makes compulsive reading and I was hooked from beginning to end.
The four men at the centre of the plot - the Wainwright boys - Dom, Gavin, Greg, and Robbie, are decidedly sleazy when we first meet them. Down on their luck, drifting aimlessly towards middle age, their lives are all at a breaking point. Then comes the mysterious summons to Keswick and all hell is let loose. By the time they reach their destination they are all changed men.
The author clearly knows a thing or two about sailing. The nautical scenes are skillfully and beautifully written, reminding me of Hammond Innes at his best (when he wrote similar scenes to either enhance his fiction or recount his own adventures at sea), and the Lake District is brought lovingly to life in all its beauty.
The characters are crazy, eccentric, and despite (or perhaps because of) their many flaws, are surprisingly loveable. A refreshing, original, and uplifting novel.

Fantastic setting. Interesting characters. Strong plot. All ingredients for a great read. Add on the humorous dialogue and clever writing style and this is a complete winner. My only complaint is that it was too short! Looking forward to more from this talented author and hoping he writes fast…