Have you ever been curious about how people live when nobody’s watching? Have you wondered whether there’s more going on than meets the eye? Eric and Carl live in Dorset in a small white cottage under the shadow of a big cliff. Eric sells old records and antiques. Carl cooks, cleans and crochets. Eric likes maps, Second World War memorabilia and the smell of old cars and, at 67, seems to be still waiting for full self-awareness to land. Carl, who everyone assumes is much younger, has a sophisticated emotional intelligence and likes wildflowers, mid-twentieth-century female novelists and swimming. If you passed them on a walk, you may not pay them much attention. You may even be distracted by Carl’s long floppy ears, tail and fur and mistake him for a dog. Carl’s true nature is a closely guarded secret, and something the neighbours may struggle to fathom. But as the pair meander around South-West England, hunting for rare records and unusual collectibles, they encounter an eclectic range of people, a handful of whom are let in on the truth. Tom Cox’s third novel is a rare gem, from the importance of friendship, to the joy that can be found in accepting the unusual, Everything Will Swallow You will make you appreciate your surroundings a with fresh perspective.
