Patrick Hamilton Books
March 17, 1904 – September 23, 1962
This author captured the vibrant yet often gritty reality of London between and after the world wars. His works, frequently drawing from personal experience, delve into themes of societal divides, moral decay, and a growing disillusionment with modern life, particularly the dehumanizing impact of motorism and capitalism. As his political convictions deepened, his writing became more trenchant and critical of social inequalities. In his later years, his output adopted a bleaker, more cynical tone, mirroring his own disenchantment while retaining a powerful grip on the depiction of human nature.
The classic novel from the author of Rope and Hangover Square.
Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky: A London Trilogy
- 528 pages
- 19 hours of reading
A timeless classic of sleazy London life in the 1930s, a world of streets full of cruelty and kindness, comedy and pathos, where people emerge from cheap lodgings in Pimlico to pour out their passions, hopes and despair in pubs and bars.
This classic Victorian thriller was first produced in 1935. Jack Manningham is slowly, deliberately driving his wife, Bella, insane. He has almost succeeded when help arrives in the form of a former detective, Rough, who believes Manningham to be a thief and murderer. Aided by Bella, Rough proves Manningham's true identity and finally Bella achieves a few moments of sweet revenge for the suffering inflicted on her.
Hamilton captures the edgy, obsessive and eventually murderous mindset of a romantically frustrated British man in this WWII-era novel. London 1939, and in the grimy publands of Earls Court, George Harvey Bone is pursuing a helpless infatuation with Netta who is cool, contemptuous and hopelessly desirable to George. George is adrift in hell, until something goes click in his head and he realizes that he must kill her.
The Slaves of Solitude
- 368 pages
- 13 hours of reading
The classic novel from the author of Rope and Hangover Square.
Rope
- 108 pages
- 4 hours of reading
Set against a backdrop of personal and societal struggles, the narrative explores the complexities of human relationships and the impact of choices on individual lives. Characters navigate through emotional turmoil, seeking redemption and understanding in a world filled with conflict. The themes of love, loss, and resilience are intricately woven throughout, highlighting the characters' journeys as they confront their pasts and strive for a better future. The drama unfolds with poignant moments that resonate deeply with readers.
The Gorse Trilogy
- 864 pages
- 31 hours of reading
Abacus is reissuing all of Patrick Hamilton's novels for a new audience. In The Gorse Trilogy, Patrick Hamilton creates one of fiction's most captivating anti-heroes.
Abacus is reissuing all of Patrick Hamilton's novels, to bring them to a new audience. Craven House is a light-hearted satire on the English boarding house.
Monday Morning
- 256 pages
- 9 hours of reading
Abacus is reissuing all of Patrick Hamilton's novels, to bring them to a new audience. Long out of print, Monday Morning is Hamilton's first novel, and shows the brilliant mind that would go on to write the classic Hangover Square.