Lonely Mouth

£16.99

Matilda knows about hunger. She works in one of Sydney’s buzziest restaurants, Bocca, while suppressing her cravings – including for her celebrity chef boss, Colson. Everything in her life is tightly controlled: she allows herself one weekend a month to feast and purge, the rest of the time, she stays perfect. Until her younger half-sister Lara crashes back into town, stirring up the family’s chaotic past and bringing long-buried secrets to the surface that threaten to disrupt Matilda’s carefully compartmentalised life. ‘Lonely mouth’, he repeated. ‘It’s a Japanese expression. It means, like, you feel like you want to eat something, but you don’t know what it is. You’re looking for just the right thing. But maybe there is no right thing. Maybe you don’t need anything at all. But you can’t tell’.

Pre-order

Scheduled for publication on 2nd July, 2026
The book will be available on or after this date. If you would like to preorder a copy, we will notify you when it is ready to collect.

SKU: 9781784746681 Category: Tag: Publisher/imprint : Chatto & Windus
Page count : 336
Published on 2nd July, 2026

Description

‘Witty, savage and poignant’ NIGELLA LAWSON
‘Humane and deeply, darkly humorous’ MARINA KEMP, author of UNWILDING
‘Gorgeous, mesmerising’ CLAIRE POWELL, author of ALL IN

This summer, sink your teeth into a slice of family drama with this deliciously funny novel about sisterhood, secrets and the things you can’t stomach.

Matilda knows about hunger. She works in one of Sydney’s buzziest restaurants, Bocca, while suppressing her cravings, including for her celebrity chef boss, Colson. Everything in her life is tightly controlled: she allows herself one weekend a month to feast and purge, the rest of the time, she stays perfect.

That is, until her younger half-sister Lara crashes back into town, stirring up the family’s chaotic past and bringing long-buried family secrets to the surface. As the pressure rises in the kitchen and at home, Matilda’s carefully compartmentalised life begins to unravel.

A deliciously moreish book club novel about food, appetite, body image, family dysfunction and desire – perfect for readers looking for a smart summer holiday read.

‘I devoured it in a weekend’ FELICITY CLOAKE
‘Singularly rich and moreish’ GRAINNE O’HARE, author of THIRST TRAP

READERS ARE LOVING LONELY MOUTH:
‘Sharp, emotionally layered’
‘Her writing lingers’
‘A powerful, beautifully written story that gets under your skin’
‘I could talk about this book for hours’

Additional information

Weight 0.554 kg
Dimensions 24.1 × 16.4 × 3.1 cm
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