After the Lights Go Out by John Vercher

After the Lights Go Out by John Vercher

'Thrums with authenticity' The Times
'Powerful, bruising and beautiful' Chris Whitaker
A bleak, brilliant slice of American noir' Daily Mail

The latest novel from the CWA-shortlisted author of Three-Fifths - a Sunday Times, Guardian and Financial Times Book of the Year

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IT'S NOT A COMEBACK. IT'S A FIGHT FOR HIS LIFE.

Xavier "Scarecrow" Wallace is a biracial Black MMA fighter on the wrong side of thirty, who's been given a last-ditch chance to break into the big leagues. He is also losing his battle with pugilistic dementia, a struggle he is desperate to hide.

In the nursing home of his father, a white man suffering from Alzheimer's, Xavier witnesses shocking episodes that expose ugly truths about his family and his past.

As the big fight draws near, Xavier is faced with a dangerous dilemma: throw his match or suffer the deadly consequences.

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FURTHER PRAISE FOR JOHN VERCHER

'John Vercher could well be the next great American novelist' Kia Abdullah

'Shrewd and explosive' New York Times

'Vercher writes with the intensity of championship round' Kevin Powers, author of The Yellow Birds

'A stunning, stone-cold knockout' P. J. Vernon, author of Bath Haus

'Think Warrior by way of Fat City' William Boyle, author of Shoot the Moonlight Out

'John Vercher writes like a fighter, a dancer, an athlete' Wiley Cash, author of A Land More Kind than Home

'Thrums with authenticity and the sweat shines on every page' - The Times

'Powerful, bruising and beautiful, After The Lights Go Out is a blistering story of love and loyalty, family, class and belongingThose who haven't discovered John Vercher yet are seriously missing out. Outstanding.' - Chris Whitaker

'After the Lights Go Out left me breathless. A riveting portrait of masculinity, vulnerability and alienation, it couples propulsive action with an aching tenderness. So exquisite is the result, I would go as far as to say that John Vercher could well be the next Great American Novelist.' - Kia Abdullah

'Shrewd and explosive' - New York Times

'Vercher gives us a nuanced, troubled protagonist trying to keep his head up in a dark and dangerous world. His novel is troubling, powerful, and ultimately, surprisingly, poignant.' - Ben H. Winters

John Vercher is a writer on race, identity and social justice currently living in the Philadelphia area with his wife and two sons. He holds a BA in English from the University of Pittsburgh and an MFA in Creative Writing from the Mountainview Master of Fine Arts program. His debut novel Three-Fifths was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Award and was a Sunday Times, Guardian and Financial Times Book of the Year.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781782277569
ISBN 10	1782277560
Title	After the Lights Go Out
Author	John Vercher
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Pushkin Press
Year published	2023-07-06
Number of pages	288
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.