Fervour: The Secret History meets Jonathan Safran Foer meets The Royal Tenenbaums (Paperback) - Toby Lloyd

An exciting debut novel about a close-knit Jewish family in London pushed to the brink when they suspect their daughter is a witch.

'Intriguing, propulsive and profoundly disturbing, this is a fearless look into the dark heart of family politics from a naturally gifted storyteller'
JONATHAN COE

'Magnificent, indelible . . . That a young British novelist, on his first try, should have so effectively taken up a gauntlet laid down by the greatest American novelist of an era [Toni Morrison] might seem surprising. But maybe not . . . Enriching his story with detail and above all heart, Lloyd has crafted a lasting allegory of our dark historical time'
NEW YORK TIMES

'Stylish, puzzling, mystical . . . Fervour marks the arrival of an intriguing and intelligent new voice'
FINANCIAL TIMES

'A suspenseful debut novel that propels the reader deep into the heart of an idiosyncratic family'
OBSERVER

'A rich and dark stew that mixes ingredients from the Bible and the headlines, with a biting send-up of the vampiric nature of writing itself'
DAILY MAIL

'Remarkable . . . a work of real poignancy'
MAIL ON SUNDAY

'Darkly comedic in parts, yet deeply disturbing and utterly compelling, Fervour is an exceptional debut novel'
JENNIE GODFREY, AUTHOR OF THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS

THE ROSENTHALS ARE NOT LIKE OTHER FAMILIES
Hannah and Eric are devout Jews living in North London with their three children and Eric's father Yosef, a Holocaust survivor. Both intellectually gifted and deeply unconventional, the Rosenthals believe in the literal truth of the Old Testament and in the presence of God (and evil) in daily life.

As Hannah prepares to publish a sensationalist account of Yosef's years in war-torn Europe - unearthing a terrible secret from his time in the camps- Elsie, her perfect daughter, starts to come undone. And then, in the wake of Yosef's death, she disappears. When she returns, just as mysteriously as she left, she is altered in disturbing ways.

Witnessing the complete transformation of her daughter, Hannah begins to suspect that Elsie has delved too deep into the labyrinths of Jewish mysticism and got lost among shadows. But for Elsie's brother Tovyah, a brilliant but reclusive student at Oxford, the truth is much simpler: his sister is the product of a dysfunctional family, obsessed with empty rituals and unbridled ambition.

But who is right? And how can they stop the darkness from engulfing Elsie forever?


'Extraordinary. . . A tremendous debut from a strikingly talented new writer'
KIRKUS (starred review)

'Gripping and powerful . . . Fans of Isaac Bashevis Singer and Stephen King alike will thrill to this superb modern folk tale'
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)

'In this debut that explores identity, faith, and folklore . . . the dynamics are acutely observed, the characters vividly realised, and the escalating drama has the hypnotic, chilling effect of a horror film'
BOOKSELLER (Editor's Choice)

About the Author

Toby Lloyd has published stories and essays in Carve Magazine, the Los Angeles Review of Books and elsewhere. He earned an MFA in creative writing from NYU and was longlisted for the 2021 V. S. Pritchett Short Story Prize. He lives in London.