Collision of destinies

Troubled minds and dysfunctional families meet head on in Edward St Aubyn’s latest book Parallel Lines, a sequel to his 2021 novel Double Blind.

It picks up the story of Sebastian, now in treatment following a breakdown that has left him with a fragile hold on reality and a desire to connect with his birth mother who abandoned him as a child.

This is a novel about connections, family, love and the cascading consequences of our choices. A brother and sister are lost and found as their fates collide in outrageous and poignant ways that reveal their destinies in a new light.

The prize-winning author, praised for his trademark wit and prose style, is best known for his internationally-acclaimed Patrick Melrose novels. The series was made into a BAFTA award-winning Sky Atlantic TV series starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role.

Edward St Aubyn is at the Festival in conversation with William Waldegrave on Saturday 18 October at 3.45pm