Tony Hogan Bought Me an Ice-Cream Float Before He Stole My Ma

A Novel

By: Kerry Hudson

Narrated by: Jane MacFarlane

“A witty and lively novel set somewhere between the worlds of Roddy Doyle and Irvine Welsh.” —William Dalyrymple, The Guardian

Reminiscent of early Roddy Doyle, Tony Hogan Bought Me an Ice-Cream Float Before He Stole My Ma begins with our singular heroine’s less than idyllic birth and quickly moves to a spectacular fight that lands Janie and her mother in a local women’s shelter. From there it’s on to a dodgy council flat and a succession of unsuitable men, including the hard-drinking, drug-dealing, ice-cream-buying Tony Hogan. Kerry Hudson’s arrestingly original debut will enthrall readers with Janie’s tragicomic and moving story about coming of age in a non-traditional family amid the absurdities of the 1980s and Thatcherite Britain.

Critic reviews

“Wickedly, brilliantly, inescapably funny in spite of its often-horrific scenarios, Hudson's debut is, by equal turns, startling, devastating, and exhilarating.” – The Boston Globe

“Sharp and insightful, Hudson's tender and courageous coming of age tale is impossible to put down. A gutsy debut that will engage and enthrall from page one.” – Lisa O’Donnell, author of The Death of Bees

“This bittersweet novel is warm and humorous, too.” –Booklist

“Funny and dark” – Kirkus Reviews

“[Told] with hope and a biting sense of humor.” – ShelfAwareness

“…A witty and lively novel set somewhere between the worlds of Roddy Doyle and Irvine Welsh.” – William Dalrymple in The Guardian

“Colorful, funny, joyful and compelling” – The Observer

“Full of warmth and bittersweet humour” – The Financial Times

“Concurrently very funny and incredibly sad. The writing sizzles” – The Bookseller

“More than the best debut of 2012; it's one of the best books of the year.” .” – Louise Welsh in The Herald (Scotland)

“A sympathetic coming-of-age tale and a valuable counterpoint to widespread social attitudes to women in poverty” – Metro (UK)

“Real and heartfelt, carried along by stunning, earthy dialogue that captures the rough poetry of daily speech…Hudson avoids the usual sentimental clichés and gives us, without a shred of hipster cynicism, the hope and tough warmth for which she has such a sharp eye.” – The Guardian