'A gorgeously odd tale about finding yourself again, unexpectedly. If you want a little piece of joy in your reading life, buy it' Jojo Moyes

'Loaded with charm, resilience, and the deep desire for connection that all mammals share. I loved it' Ann Patchett

'Utterly charming and beautifully written, Sipsworth is a tender tale about loss, loneliness and the healing power of connection that you won't want to put down' Mike Gayle

'Utterly charming and heartwarming' Ruth Hogan, The Keeper of Lost Things

'Beautiful and enchanting' Washington Post

Following the deaths of her husband and son, Helen Cartwright returns from sixty years in Australia to the English village of her childhood. Her only wish is to die quickly and without fuss.

Helen retreats into her home on Westminster Crescent, becoming a creature of routine and habit. Then, one cold autumn night, a chance encounter with an abandoned pet mouse on the street outside her house sets Helen on a surprising journey of friendship, and a way back into life itself.

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'Sipsworth is a love story about a woman and a mouse. Reason suggests that such a relationship couldn’t possibly work, and yet I found myself pulling for this unlikely duo on every page. Simon Van Booy’s characters are loaded with charm, resilience, and the deep desire for connection that all mammals share. I loved it.'

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'Beautifully detailed, and filled with heart, Sipsworth is a slim, sparkling jewel of a novel.'

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'Enchanting... Material that could easily feel saccharine or twee is fresh and often funny, thanks to the author's artful prose... Van Booy takes the familiar trope of an ageing person's unexpected renewal and makes it feel new'

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'Simon Van Booy has performed another small literary miracle....trenchant and beautiful....countless passages beguile and move us'

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'Van Booy's gift for language is immersive... A memorable story about serendipity—and what can happen when we keep our hearts open to surprise.'