The Painter's Friend

'I loved it. Cunnell's writing has an unforgettable visual and moral clarity' – Melissa Harrison, author of All Among the Barley
'His finest and most important work to date' – Cathi Unsworth, author of Weirdo
The painter Terry Godden was on the brink of his first success. After a violent crisis, he finds himself outcast.
In his fifties, and with little money, he retreats to a small island. Arriving in the winter, the island at first seems a desolate and forgotten place. As the seasons turn, Terry begins to see the island's beauty, and discovers that he is only one of many people who have sought refuge here. These independent outsiders, all with their own considerable struggles, have made a precarious home.
The island is owned by the business man and art collector Alex Kaplan. His decision to enforce a rent increase as he seeks to improve his property looks set to destroy this community that cannot afford to lose...