A Long Island Story

It is 1953, a heat wave is sweeping across America and the Grossmans – Ben, Addie and their two children -are moving their lives from the political heart of Washington DC to suburban Long Island. Benny was a successful lawyer in the Department of Justice, but all that has come tumbling down. With the McCarthy era of paranoia, persecution and propaganda at its height, his past has come back to haunt him, forcing him to pack up his family and leave the capital behind.With their future uncertain, life in Long Island starts to open old wounds for Ben and Addie, both start to wonder if they were meant for more, whether their future might look different than they planned, and whether their marriage – their family – is worth fighting for . . .A Long Island Story is a portrait of a marriage in crisis, of a unique and fascinating period in US history and of a seemingly perfect family fighting their demons behind closed doors.

Reviews of A Long Island Story

PRAISE FOR DARKE:I couldn't stop reading. Gekoski puts words together with a sure touch and deep craftsmanship — PHILIP PULLMAN A brilliantly vivid creation . . . life-affirming and life-shattering * * The Herald * * A wondrous book with two fathers, Kingsley Amis and Dante — SEBASTIAN BARRY Will make you laugh out loud, when you're not in tears * * The Times * * An immensely enjoyable elegy . . . done with precision and patience * * Scotsman * * Staggeringly accomplished. Heartbreakingly true. A shockingly monumental first novel — JOHN NIVEN