The Cuckoo Boy

By: Grant Gillespie

Narrated by: Grant Gillespie

Armed with the wrong set of circumstances, what child isn't capable of murder? James lands in the wrong nest; where he's stifled by the strict conventionality of his adoptive parents. He finds solace in David – his imaginary friend, ally, and co-conspirator – and it's the two of them against the world... Till James meets a 'real, live' David and innocent child's play takes turn for the worse, with terrifying consequences.

©2015 Grant Gillespie (P)2025 Grant Gillespie

Critic reviews

"Through James and David, Gillespie explores the chasm between how children and adults perceive the world, and the devastating consequences of falling through this gap. The Cuckoo Boy is a savage indictment of hypocrisy and forced social convention." - The Observer

"An ‘emotionally visceral debut. The spectre of Lionel Shriver’s Kevin is omnipresent, particularly in the black comedy and ambiguous aspects of the tale. But this is a confident, impressive work in its own right." - The Guardian

"With strong parallels to Golding’s Lord of the Flies, which demonstrated the savage nature of humanity detached from civilisation, Gillespie’s superb debut avers that such isolation is possible within our own societies and that the consequences can be tragic. In this case, the mob rules." - Irish Examiner