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Praise for Luan Goldie

‘A sharp, funny, wonderful writer’

Diana Evans, bestselling author of Ordinary People

‘A timely and powerfully told tale … a new and exciting voice in fiction’

Mike Gayle, Sunday Times bestselling author

‘Luan Goldie is one to watch. Her writing is heartfelt and sublime’

Abir Mukherjee, author of A Necessary Evil and Smoke and Ashes

‘Compelling … finely crafted, compassionate’

Guardian

‘A warm, confident writer with the lightest of touches’

Observer

‘Pacey and powerful’

Mail on Sunday

‘The type of story that will stay with you long after you’ve read the last page’

Closer

‘Brilliant … touches on race, mental health and community in a fresh way’

Good Housekeeping

‘A story of hope, a cheer to the strength and importance of community and resilience. Beautiful, assured and sincere’

Platinum

‘Flawlessly portrayed … A riveting read’

Candis

About the Author

LUAN GOLDIE is a primary school teacher, and formerly a business journalist. She has written several short stories and is the winner of the Costa Short Story Award 2017 for her short story ‘Two Steak Bakes and Two Chelsea Buns’. She was also shortlisted for the London Short Story Prize in 2018 and the Grazia/Orange First Chapter competition in 2012, and was chosen to take part in the Almasi League, an Arts Council-funded mentorship programme for emerging writers of colour. In 2019 she was shortlisted for the h100 awards in the Publishing and Writing category.

Her debut novel, Nightingale Point, was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2020 and the RSL Ondaatje Prize. It was also a Radio 2 Book Club pick. Homecoming is her second novel.

Also by Luan Goldie

Nightingale Point

Note to Readers

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Dedication

For Mum

Chapter One

Coffee Shop

September 2020

Yvonne

The coffee shop is one of a chain but this particular branch seems to have lost its way. The tables are filthy, the pleather seats are burst in places and two men sit closest to the counter openly making their way through a six-pack of supermarket croissants.

Yvonne finds an empty table, next to the toilets. The armrest is spotted with dried milk; it’s the kind of dirt that signals neglect, it unnerves her. The walls are lined with photographs of generic Italy, wicker baskets of tomatoes, mopeds, skinny women in large sunglasses drinking espressos at pavement cafés. The door opens and a homeless woman emerges, bulging carrier bags at her side, smelling of urine.

Yvonne doesn’t want to be here.

Deep down she hoped he would cancel, was almost waiting for it. But when he texted her in the morning it was to confirm this address and time.

He’s late.

Maybe he won’t come at all.