The Go-Between: Complete & Unabridged

More about the book

L.P. Hartley's poignant exploration of a young boy's loss of innocence is presented in this edition, edited by Douglas Brooks-Davies. Set during a long, hot summer, young Leo stays with a school-friend at Brandham Hall, where he becomes a messenger between Ted, a farmer, and Marian, a beautiful young woman. As he becomes increasingly entangled in their dangerous game of deceit and desire, Leo faces a shocking and premature revelation about the adult world. This haunting narrative captures the awakening of a boy to the secrets of adulthood while vividly evoking the boundaries of Edwardian society. Leslie Poles Hartley (1895-1972), born in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, was educated at Harrow and Balliol College, Oxford. He was a prolific fiction reviewer for over thirty years and gained recognition with his novel Eustace and Hilda (1947), which won the James Tait Black prize. His works include the acclaimed The Go-Between (1953), later adapted into a successful film, and The Hireling (1957), which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes. Readers who appreciated this work may also enjoy Barry Hines's A Kestrel for a Knave. The narrative is described as "magical and disturbing," with layers of poignancy that deepen upon revisiting.