The Palm House
Apr 2026 · New York Review of Books
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About this ebook
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2026 BOOKER PRIZE
From the author of My Phantoms and First Love, a droll and quietly evocative novel about work, friendship, family, and the path—so often muddled—toward finding one’s place in life.
Laura Miller and Edmund Putnam have been friends for a long time. Theirs is a happy meeting of minds, with long evenings spent huddled in an ancient pub by the Thames, where they share office gossip, reflect on their teenage passions, and lament the state of the world.
Recently, though, Putnam has been harder to reach: He has lost his father, and the magazine to which he has dedicated his life has been hijacked by an insufferable new editor, Simon “Shove” Halfpenny.
Laura has her own problems: Living in London, a beautiful but also indifferent city, with a prickly mother to manage and a tricky past to contemplate, she finds that day-to-day life presents its difficulties. And as Putnam starts to sink into despondency, she must try to bring him back.
A novel of enduring friendships and small mercies, The Palm House offers us Gwendoline Riley’s trademark keen observation and wit, and leaves us with a sense of possibility.
From the author of My Phantoms and First Love, a droll and quietly evocative novel about work, friendship, family, and the path—so often muddled—toward finding one’s place in life.
Laura Miller and Edmund Putnam have been friends for a long time. Theirs is a happy meeting of minds, with long evenings spent huddled in an ancient pub by the Thames, where they share office gossip, reflect on their teenage passions, and lament the state of the world.
Recently, though, Putnam has been harder to reach: He has lost his father, and the magazine to which he has dedicated his life has been hijacked by an insufferable new editor, Simon “Shove” Halfpenny.
Laura has her own problems: Living in London, a beautiful but also indifferent city, with a prickly mother to manage and a tricky past to contemplate, she finds that day-to-day life presents its difficulties. And as Putnam starts to sink into despondency, she must try to bring him back.
A novel of enduring friendships and small mercies, The Palm House offers us Gwendoline Riley’s trademark keen observation and wit, and leaves us with a sense of possibility.
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2026 BOOKER PRIZE
From the author of My Phantoms and First Love, a droll and quietly evocative novel about work, friendship, family, and the path—so often muddled—toward finding one’s place in life.
Laura Miller and Edmund Putnam have been friends for a long time. Theirs is a...
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2 reviews
Lauren
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September 20, 2026
A book marketed about friendship but it had nothing to do about friendship. By the time I got to the end of the book all I learned about Laura and Putnam is they are two lost souls. Both their lives are disasters. I wasn't interested in the dialogue one bit. Also I could've done without the sex scenes I found it utterly distasteful. What a waste of my time.
About the author
Gwendoline Riley was born in London in 1979. She is the author of seven novels, including First Love, My Phantoms, and, most recently, The Palm House. In 2018, The Times Literary Supplement named her as one of the twenty best British and Irish novelists working today.
Gwendoline Riley was born in London in 1979. She is the author of seven novels, including First Love, My Phantoms, and, most recently, The Palm House. In 2018, The Times Literary Supplement named her as one of the twenty best British and Irish novelists working today.
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