The Insomnia Museum

By Laurie Canciani Head Of Zeus, 304pp, £14.99

This is Welsh author Laurie Canciani’s debut novel, but the ambition of her writing does not betray that. We first meet Anna and her father in their squalid flat as they collect and reconfigure odd items from outside. It becomes clear the father is deeply troubled, sunk in drugs and alcohol, and Anna is trapped in his world. Then she loses her father in heart-rending fashion and is rescued by charismatic stranger, Lucky, clearly troubled himself. Anna moves into Lucky’s flat, with his wife – who has confined herself to bed – and son Tick. Tick and Anna begin to build a new life despite the circumstances, but must confront a horror story from the past that ties them together in ways they couldn’t have known. Can two such young people navigate the very adult troubles they find themselves part of? Canciani has a distinctive style that draws you into Anna’s view of the world, and she has a knack for describing small details in telling fashion. It’s a compelling if gritty story, and you will find yourself deeply invested in Anna’s fate. ■

Helen Smyth