Safe Return Doubtful

British Literature – Published 2026

In his debut novel Rollinson sticks to material with which he is familiar; he grew up in Newcastle in the 1970s and that forms the backdrop for a good portion of this novel; a city in the midst of industrial decay with its dying coalfields, and suffering from the sort of mindless violence associated with the brutality of gangs and disaffected youth.

Chiefly, this is Frank’s story. Caught up in the violence, and after a robbery goes badly wrong, his younger brother escapes with the proceeds to Córdoba. Thirty years later, Frank travels there to give him the news of their father’s death, and that as a result, the empire of violence is over.

Rollinson has won awards for his poetry and that influences his writing with a style that suits the savage and viscous world that the boys grow up in; sentences are taut and to the point, descriptions are vivid and richly imagined. The novel format seems to suit him though, as the narrative moves with compelling energy, contrasting the bleakness of the brothers’ formative years with the expansive, almost mythic landscapes of Andalusia.

Despite (and because) of the violence, moments of lyricism and tenderness are notable as the brothers grapple with love, loss and the possibility of change.

My GoodReads score 5 / 5