'Enchanting . . . restricted . . . startling.' TLS

'A exciting psychodrama . . . She brilliantly captures a feeling of Hitchcockian, curtain-twitching intensity.' Economist

‘Sharp, considerate . . . exhilarating . . . the plot slips from city pastoral to demanding thriller.’ Newsweek

'Cocozza has a superb eye for aspect, and her descriptions of the flora and fauna are uncanny.' Guardian

'The tough, moving substance of relationships is so insightfully drawn and regularly surprises.' Laura Barnett, writer of The types of Us

'Taut, shimmering.' Richard Beard, writer of The Acts of the Assassins

You’ve obvious a fox.

Come head to head in an unforeseen position, or at an unforeseen moment.

And he has checked out you, as you have got checked out him. as though he has anything to inform you, otherwise you have whatever to inform him.

But what if it didn’t cease there?

When Mary arrives domestic from paintings sooner or later to discover a powerful fox on her garden - his ears spiked in cognizance and each hair bristling together with his energy to shock - it's only the start. He brings presents (at least, Mary imagines they're gifts), and steadily makes himself at domestic.

And as he listens to Mary, Mary listens again.

She starts to listen to herself for the 1st time in years. Her bullish ex-boyfriend, nonetheless lurking at the fringes of her lifestyles, will be appalled. So could the neighbours with a brand new child. they just like flora and fauna that matches with the decor. yet inside of Mary a wildness is growing to be that may not be tamed.

In this notable debut, the strains among sanity and security, obsession and fable blur, in an exhilarating exploration of what makes us human.