Trumpet - (Vintage Contemporaries) by Jackie Kay (Paperback)

About the Book

The death of legendary jazz trumpeter Joss Moody exposes an extraordinary secret, as the reminiscences of those who knew him form the basis for a moving portrait of a shared life founded on an intricate lie. "(A) hypnotic story".--"Time".

Book Synopsis

"Supremely humane.... Kay leaves us with a broad landscape of sweet tolerance and familial love." --The New York Times Book Review

In her starkly beautiful and wholly unexpected tale, Jackie Kay delves into the most intimate workings of the human heart and mind and offers a triumphant tale of loving deception and lasting devotion.

The death of legendary jazz trumpeter Joss Moody exposes an extraordinary secret, one that enrages his adopted son, Colman, leading him to collude with a tabloid journalist. Besieged by the press, his widow Millie flees to a remote Scottish village, where she seeks solace in memories of their marriage. The reminiscences of those who knew Joss Moody render a moving portrait of a shared life founded on an intricate lie, one that preserved a rare, unconditional love.

From the Back Cover

Winner of the 1998 Guardian Fiction Prize, Jackie Kay's captivating novel delves into the inner workings of the human heart to reveal an unforgettable story about love, loss, and identity.

The music of legendary jazz trumpeter Joss Moody touched the souls of all who listened. But his death, exposes an extraordinary secret, one that he shared in life only with his beloved wife, Millie. When their adopted son, Colman, learns the truth about his father, his rage compels him to collude with a tabloid journalist. Besieged by the press and overwhelmed with grief, Millie secludes herself in their remote seaside home. There, she seeks solace in treasured memories of her fiercely private marriage, while Colman searches for answers that can resolve his resentment and confusion. The reminiscences of those who knew Joss Moody render a complex and moving portrait of two people whose shared life was founded on an intricate lie that preserved their family, and their rare, unconditional love.

Starkly beautiful, emotionally charged, and wholly unexpected, Trumpet delves into the most intimate workings of the human heart and mind. It is a bravura performance and a mesmerizing debut.

Review Quotes

WINNER OF THE 1998 GUARDIAN FICTION PRIZE

"It has a humanity and sympathy which engaged me from start to finish. And its energy and directness made it a treat to read. . . . [Trumpet makes] us see that people apparently very unlike ourselves are in fact very much like ourselves. . . . Love is not usually such a triumphant idea in modern writing, but I think Jackie Kay makes it believably and vividly so."
-- Ian Jack, Granta

"Kay spins a love story, a fairy tale, and a psychological thriller out of one deep secret. She has a great gift for delving inside sundry souls, making poetry of their quirks. At its best, her prose ripples like jazz and brims with exquisite insights."
-- Andrea Ashworth, author of Once in a House on Fire

"Jackie Kay makes the unbelievable gloriously real. For a first novel this is remarkably assured, full of melody and tension. Each character is given a singing part, bouncing notes and harmonies off each other as Joss's story is teasingly, movingly revealed. ...Trumpet is a love story and a lament, beautifully told." -- Eithne Farry, Time Out

"A hypnotic story...about the walls between what is known and what is secret--. Spare, haunting, dreamlike."---Time

"Splendid...[Kay's] imaginative leaps in story and language will remind some readers of a masterful jazz solo."---The San Francisco Chronicle

About the Author

Jackie Kay was born and raised in Scotland. She is the author of four collections of poetry: Other Lovers (winner of the Somerset Maugham Award), The Adoption Papers, Off Colour, and Life Mask; almost all of which were collected in Darling: New & Selected Poems. She lives in England.