A Fresh Read

In Mark McNay's debut novel, Fresh we are introduced to Sean O'Grady. He's a young husband and father who works in a chicken-processing plant. O'Grady's a good lad, but he makes the ocassional bad choice. And one of those bad choices causes him a world of trouble when his violent brother, Archie, obtains an early release from prison.

The author pleasurably depicts the Scottish dialect in this book, giving you enough to be enjoyable but not so much to burry you in Trainspotting-like translations.

McNay, the winner of the 2007 Arts Foundation Fellowship for New Fiction, crafts a story that has the thrill of a page-turner while retaining the character development of literary fiction. And the entire main plotline covers the course of one single day. It's an intriguing book.

Due out May 18th from Macadam/Cage, this debut certainly will interest you in reading more from Mark McNay.