Several months ago a surprise copy of Daisy by J P Henderson dropped through my letterbox and so when I was invited to participate in the launch celebrations by Anne at Random Things Tours it looked like the prefect opportunity to bump Daisy up my TBR. I’m delighted to share my review today.

Published by No Exit Press, on 23rd April 2020, Daisy is available for purchase here.

Daisy

MEET DAISY. A PICTURE OF GRACE AND DIGNITY.

MEET HEROD. A… DISAPPOINTMENT

Written in his own words, and guided by a man who collects glasses in a local pub, this is the story of Herod ‘Rod’ Pinkney’s search for Daisy Lamprich, a young woman he first sees on a decade-old episode of the Judge Judy Show, and who he now intends to marry.

When Daisy is located in the coastal city of Huntington Beach, California, he travels there with his good friend and next-door neighbour, Donald, a man who once fought in the tunnels of Cu Chi during the Vietnam War and who now spends most of his time in Herod’s basement.

Herod is confident that the outcome will be favourable, but there’s a problem… Will the course of true love ever run smoothly for this unlikely hero?

Daisy is a funny and touching story of an improbable and heart-warming quest to find true love.

My Review of Daisy

Herod ‘Rod’ Pinkney is writing a book about his quest for love.

Daisy is a lovely book. I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself into Rod’s world, not least because the first person narrative has such a distinct voice that I felt as if I knew Rod personally. I knew Daisy was going to appeal to me from the very beginning as I had laughed aloud several times at Rod’s comments within a very few pages of the book and that rarely happens when I read. He has a human persona that feels very real.

There’s a smashing plot here because J P Henderson balances major events alongside the minutiae of Rod’s ordinary life with a dry witticism and perfect eye for detail so that I could picture the people, places and events describe with crystal clear vision. I found myself reading with a smile on my face throughout and it obviously impacted on me as I had a dream about guinea pigs, but you’ll have to read the book to see how that experience was prompted! The senses are so well catered for in this vivid writing, especially through food which features frequently.

Although Daisy is light entertainment at its best, that’s not to say that there aren’t some more sombre issues hidden in this hugely entertaining story. Rod’s attempt to find God, his relationships with his parents, Donald’s marriage and war history, Edmundo’s shady past, attitudes towards others in society concerning gender, race, appearance and so on all weave through the pages making for considerable interest as well as light relief.

I feel J P Henderson has created a microcosm of the world in Rod’s life so that Daisy can be read on many different levels. The book can be enjoyed as a simple amusement, but it can also be considered at greater depth so that it is thought provoking too. However you might like to read Daisy, I can really recommend that you do as it’s a smashing book.

About J P Henderson

J P HENDERSON is the author of three previous novels including Last Bus to Coffeeville, which was selected for World Book Night and longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award.

By nature an internationalist, he lives in a cul-de-sac in West Yorkshire for practical reasons.

There’s more with these other bloggers too: