Weak Teeth

Ellis’s life has crumbled without warning. Her boyfriend has fallen in love with someone else, her job’s insecure, her bank account’s empty and she has a mouthful of unreliable teeth. Forced back to her childhood home, there is little in the way of comfort. Her mum is dating a younger man (a dentist, no less) and is talking of selling the house, her sister, Lana, is furious all the time, and a distant cousin has now arrived from the States to stay with them.

During a long, hot Edinburgh summer, Ellis’s world spins out of control. She’s dogged by toothache, her ex won’t compensate her for the flat and somehow she’s found herself stalking his new lover on Facebook.

Will Ellis realise before it’s too late that the bite she was born with is worth preserving?

Reviews of Weak Teeth

'In her debut fiction novel Weak Teeth, Lynsey May pulls up the roots of trauma, both in relationships and the body. It probes what can happen when life confronts you in unmistakeable ways that force you to take back control' – Jenni Fagan

'Weak Teeth marks the debut of an individual and original new voice in Scottish writing, a book which leaves you wanting more' – Alistair Braidwood, Scots Whay Hae!

'Weak Teeth is a warm and witty exploration of our hidden vulnerabilities, our unspoken disappointments, the embarrassing subtext of our lives. Sharply observed and hugely enjoyable' – Catherine Simpson

'Instantly gripping with details that place you right there, in Ellis’s disintegrating life. Weak Teeth is an emotional exploration of the aftermath of a breakup, and how grief can linger on for years, shaping everyday decisions. A beautiful, compelling story that will stay with me.' -Rachel Greenlaw, author

'A truthful, funny, beautifully-written and compulsive read. Lynsey May dissects the everyday traps women manage to set for ourselves with forensic wit and a fine eye for detail' – Kirstin Innes

'Full of pin-sharp observations about human nature and shot through with May’s pitch black, glorious sense of humour – as well as compassion for her flawed characters – May uses the fragility of our teeth to craft a tender metaphor for the human heart. I was blindsided by the wisdom, savagery and tenderness in it' -Lucy Ribchester, author of The Hourglass Factory