Keyes, Marian

(Irish, 1963– )

Keyes is a bestselling author of funny, romantic novels, aimed at women readers. Start with the first, Watermelon (1996), about a woman whose husband leaves her on the day she gives birth to her first child. Rachel's Holiday (1998) is set in a rehab clinic; the heroine is a lying, drug-addicted 27 year old who is in denial about her own state. Sushi for Beginners (2000) is set in the world of glossy magazines and deals with three women who are all looking (in the wrong places) for happiness. Believing that ‘the best comedy is rooted in despair’, Keyes examines the chaotic depths of her characters’ unhappiness with lightness and black humour.

Jane Green, Helen Fielding, Roddy Doyle  JR