Tony Parsons Books

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Tony Parsons is a bestselling author from the UK that writes Mysteries, Historical, and General Fiction. Parsons has worked as a broadcaster and music journalist. The author has contributed his writing skills to publications like The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mirror, and the NME.

Parsons was born in Essex in 1953. His father was a WWII vet (Royal Naval Commando) that received a Distinguished Service Medal.

The man did various jobs once his time in the military came to an end, including driving lorries and working as a greengrocer. A former student at Barstable Grammar School (Basildon), the author did several menial jobs after leaving school at the age of 16.

His life finally took a turn for the better when he became a computer operator for National Mutual Life. Interestingly enough, his time at the insurance company benefited his publishing career because he used his free time to enhance his writing abilities.

The author was working at Gordon’s gin distillery when he wrote his first novel. At the time, Parsons had developed a gin allergy, and he hoped that publishing ‘The Kids’ would give him the financial freedom he needed to leave the distillery.

But the seven hundred pounds he earned were not enough to make writing a viable career. When a musical magazine (NME) asked new writers to make submissions, the author did not expect to land a staff writer job at the publication.

But that is precisely what happened. Parsons spent the next few years writing about music and covering artists like ‘Talking Heads’ and ‘David Bowie.’ But even with his freelance gigs, Parsons couldn’t make ends meet as a writer.

‘Bare’ gave the author a bit of a boost. The George Michael biography did well. And despite the absence of a formal agreement between them, Parsons chose to share the proceeds from the book with George.

By the time the two men fell out (1999), Parsons was a regular panelist for a BBC show. He also published ‘Man and Boy,’ his most successful novel, that same year.

The book stood out because it tackled themes about ordinary life that appeal to most people, including death, family dynamics, and filial relationships. The author has also praised the publisher for the work they did in giving the novel a decent cover and sufficient publicity. The book was not an immediate hit.

Initially, publishers dismissed the manuscript because it tackled father/son relationships. Publishers argued that Parsons was better off writing a nonfiction book, but he disagreed because he did not want readers to perceive his book as a semi-autobiographical piece of literature even though it was inspired by his relationship with his son.

It took months for ‘Man and Boy’ to find its footing but only because the positive word of mouth kept spreading. At the time, Parsons was divorced and trying to reevaluate his relationship with his son.

He was also struggling with his mother’s cancer diagnosis. The book proved to be an effective coping mechanism.

Tony Parsons Awards

Parsons has won the British Book Award.

Best Tony Parsons Books

The author switched to crime fiction in 2015 after writing contemporary fiction for years. But the transition was not challenging because, from his point of view, every book is concerned with telling a story regardless of the genre, and the author is a competent storyteller. Parson’s best books include:

Man and Boy: Harry had it all. His media job came with an excellent salary and quite a bit of prestige. Harry was also blessed with a beautiful wife and an adorable son.

But Harry threw it all away with one foolish act. Now, he must start over as an unemployed, divorced father trying to provide a stable home for his son.

The Murder Bag: Detective Max wolf is new to London’s West End Central homicide division. The detective has his work cut out for him. People are dying. The victims are privileged students and friends that attended Potter’s Field, an exclusive private school.

And now, they are dying violently. To find the killer, Max cannot limit his investigation to the streets of the city. He must also venture into the shady alleys of the internet. Someone knows more than they are saying, and Max is determined to shake the truth free before the body count rises.

When Does The Next Tony Parsons book come out?

Tony Parsons doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is The People Next Door and was released on March, 31st 2022.

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