The Last Act of Adam Campbell by Andy Jones BLOG TOUR @andyjonesauthor @HodderBooks @JennyPlatt90 #TheLastActOfAdamCampbell

 

Adam had a good life: a job he enjoyed, a nice house, a loving partner and a bright six-year-old daughter. Then he cheated on his partner. Then she kicked him out of their home. And then he was given approximately twelve months to live.

Despite the devastating news, Adam is determined to turn his life around before it finally runs out. Help comes in the form of an ex-junky, a cantankerous train driver, a nun experiencing a crisis of faith, and a teenager intent on losing her virginity - all living on borrowed time, all desperate to feel alive before their time is up.

The Last Act of Adam Campbell by Andy Jones is published in paperback by Hodder on 29 April 2021. My thanks to the publisher who sent my book to review as part of this Blog Tour.

Sometimes a story will come along and deliver a huge punch in the gut. This is one of those stories. I have gone through an emotional journey with these characters; there are moments when I wanted to cry, there were moments when I winced (hello, the pumpkin scene), and there were moments when I laughed out loud. This is a book that is centred on a group of people who have life-limiting illness. They are not expected to be around for long, but oh my goodness, it's so beautifully and tenderly created that whilst there are great sadnesses, it is also full of joy. 

Adam Campbell is the main character. Adam is an ordinary bloke who did something stupid. He cheated on his long-term partner, the mother of his child and was thrown out of their home. Other than that, he's a normal bloke ... apart from the twelve months to live prognosis that is.

Adam has drive and determination and although he knows that the end is much nearer that he'd ever imagined, he intends to turn life around and fix things. His oncologist tells him about a group that he runs, for people just like him, and despite some misgivings, he gives it a go. He doesn't regret it. 

What a fabulous bunch of incredibly created characters we are introduced to. From a nun who is not too sure whether God actually exists, to a guy whose lived his life at the edge and has the scars to prove it, and of course there is Laura. The youngest of the group, still a child, but with an imagination that drives them all. 

As the group write and rehearse their play based on the deaths written by Shakespeare, they experience awful low times and sadness, but they also form lasting and quite wonderful friendships. The author cleverly reveals snippets about each of them, making them seem real and very relatable. 

This is a magnificent story that may deal with death but focuses on life, and friendship and support and warmth. It really is a magical read and the characters will linger in your mind for days after turning the final page. 

Highly recommended from me, a really special story. 

Andy Jones is the author of five novels for adults, and two picture books for young readers.


His latest project is also his first non-fiction book. ‘Unleash Your Creative Monster – a children’s guide to writing’ will be published by Walker books in October 2021.

In the pipeline are two novels for middle grade readers – look out for a genie, a dog-thief, time travel and zombies.

Andy lives in London with his wife and two little girls. Chances are, he’s writing something.

Follow Andy on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram where he posts as andyjonesauthor.

Or visit his website to read his ramblings, tips, prompts, and various lists.
Visit: www.andyjoneswriter.com