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Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Returnable Yes
Resolutions Eligible for refund or replacement
Return Window 30 days from delivery
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Bethan Roberts
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My Policeman Paperback – International Edition, April 1, 2014

by Bethan Roberts (Author)
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Inspired by the life of E.M. Forster and his relationship with his long-time companion Bob Buckingham and his wife, this is an exquisitely told, tragic tale of thwarted love

It is in 1950s' Brighton that Marion first catches sight of Tom. He teaches her to swim in the shadow of the pier and Marion is smitten—determined her love will be enough for them both. A few years later in Brighton Museum Patrick meets Tom. Patrick is besotted with Tom and opens his eyes to a glamorous, sophisticated new world. Tom is their policeman, and in this age it is safer for him to marry Marion. The two lovers must share him, until one of them breaks and three lives are destroyed.

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  1. Print length
    352 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Vintage UK
  4. Publication date
    April 1, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 1 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780099555254
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0099555254
  8. See all details
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  1. “For a policeman, you’re very romantic.” “For an artist, you’re very afraid,” he said.
    Highlighted by 362 Kindle readers
  2. People say that love is like a lightning bolt, but this wasn’t like that; this was like warm water, spreading through me.
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From the Publisher

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A humane and evocative portrait of a time when lives were destroyed by intolerance."  —Guardian

"Bethan Roberts is a fearless writer."—Louise Welsh, author, The Cutting Room, on The Good Plain Cook

About the Author

Bethan Roberts is the author of The Good Plain Cook, which was chosen as one of UK Time Out books of the year.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0099555255
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage UK; International_edition (April 1, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780099555254
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0099555254
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 1 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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Bethan Roberts

Bethan Roberts

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Bethan Roberts was born in Abingdon. Her first novel 'The Pools' was published in 2007 and won a Jerwood/Arvon Young Writers' Award. Her second novel 'The Good Plain Cook', published in 2008, was serialized on BBC Radio 4's Book at Bedtime and was chosen as one of Time Out's books of the year. 'My Policeman' was the 2012 Brighton City Read and an Irish Times Book of the Year. She also writes drama for BBC Radio 4. Bethan has worked in television, and has taught Creative Writing at Chichester University and Goldsmiths College, London. She lives in Brighton with her family. Her latest novel, 'Mother Island' (Chatto & Windus) won a Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize 2015.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
8,058 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book amazing, with a very emotional storyline. They also praise the writing quality as wonderful, detailed, and compelling. Readers also mention the premise as interesting and compelling, with parts that put a smile on.

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Reading experienceStorylineWriting qualityPremiseBeginning
46 customers mention "Reading experience"46 positive0 negative

Customers find the book amazing, compelling, and excellent. They also say the movie is true to the book.

"Great book, can't put it down. Happy to find it on Amazon at such a good price." Read more

"Book came in great condition and it was a decent read" Read more

"...The book was wonderful; the movie was great. This is an emotional read and will have anyone examining their feelings about love and companionship...." Read more

"...made each of the three characters in this triangle sympathetic and believable...." Read more

43 customers mention "Storyline"36 positive7 negative

Customers find the storyline very emotional, beautiful, and good. They also say the author manages to create scene-level tension and a heartbreaking glimpse into homosexuality in the 1950s. Readers also say that the ending is truly beautiful and brings tears to their eyes.

""My Policeman: A Novel" by Bethan Roberts is a poignant and evocative exploration of love, desire, and societal expectations set against the..." Read more

"...I never would have imagined, simply because the author's explanation of emotions was wonderful...." Read more

"...This was a really beautiful story and an honest look at how difficult it was to be queer in this era." Read more

"...The book was wonderful; the movie was great. This is an emotional read and will have anyone examining their feelings about love and companionship...." Read more

33 customers mention "Writing quality"24 positive9 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book wonderful, detailed, and sensitive. They also say it's more emotional and interesting than the movie.

"...Through exquisite prose and compelling storytelling, Roberts weaves together the lives of Marion, Tom, and Patrick, forming a complex and..." Read more

"...It was even more moving and emotional than the movie. It was so well written...." Read more

"...Bethan Roberts is a skillful writer ... but although I'm a patient reader, I felt the story could have been better paced...." Read more

"...Describing the various settings was lengthy and wordy; get to the point...." Read more

6 customers mention "Premise"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the concept interesting, compelling, and sensory. They also say the book is observant.

"...book, this book unfolds like a film, so image-filled, so sensory, so observant...." Read more

"...(and need to continue to be told) Roberts does so in a fresh and interesting way...." Read more

"...which I suspect is not often covered and as such it offered a really interesting and sensitive look at the difficulties that faced gay men in an era..." Read more

"I loved this book, interesting concept, well written and compelling...." Read more

4 customers mention "Beginning"0 positive4 negative

Customers find the beginning of the book slow.

"...awfully long time experiencing Marion's misery while the situation develops very slowly...." Read more

"This book started out a little slow, so it took me a little while to get really into it. Once the story picked up, I enjoyed it." Read more

"This book was very slow in the beginning. It's hard to keep reading with the jumbled writing." Read more

"Slow start..." Read more

Great
5 out of 5 stars
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Book came in good condition and on time.I been looking for this book for a few years now ever since a friend recommended it to me. Then when I heard they were making it to a movie, I started looking for it again. I want to read it before the movie comes out. I was so excited for the movie and even more excited for it when they announced Harry Styles was starring in it. Can't wait to read it and watch then movie when it comes out.
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Top reviews from the United States

John Rampage
5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book.
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2024
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Great book, can't put it down. Happy to find it on Amazon at such a good price.
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Hao Dong
5.0 out of 5 stars a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2024
Verified Purchase
"My Policeman: A Novel" by Bethan Roberts is a poignant and evocative exploration of love, desire, and societal expectations set against the backdrop of 1950s England. Through exquisite prose and compelling storytelling, Roberts weaves together the lives of Marion, Tom, and Patrick, forming a complex and emotionally charged narrative that spans decades.
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Scott D.
4.0 out of 5 stars Heartbreakingly Beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2022
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I bought this book to read in order to understand the plot a little more before I watched the movie, and I loved it! It was very easy to follow as far as structure went and the way that the author set up the different character's stories was really interesting. I loved how we got to hear some of the same moments from both Patrick and Marion because it made me able to understand and sympathize with both. At the beginning, I had some resentment toward Patrick because Marion's point of view was very innocent, but since I was able to read the same events from Patrick's point of view, I ended up loving him by the end of the book. I found myself able to relate to things in each character that I never would have imagined, simply because the author's explanation of emotions was wonderful. Although I've never experienced anything even remotely close to this, I was able to connect with each character as if they were a friend or family member. SPOILERS!!!: The only reason I gave the book 4 stars was because I wish the ending was a little different/longer. I was hoping for a little bit more of a description of what happened to Patrick and how their lives had changed because of it. From him going to jail and suffering a stroke, it was a little hard to understand how the relationships between characters changed so drastically and what happened to cause those changes. I am looking forward to seeing the movie and being able to compare the storylines.
11 people found this helpful
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Joei R.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Condition
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2024
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Book came in great condition and it was a decent read
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Tricia Flowers
5.0 out of 5 stars a sad but beautiful story
Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2023
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This is the story of Tom, a young policeman in Brighton, his school teacher wife Marion, and his dear friend, artist and museum curator Patrick. The story is told in alternate POVs between Marion and Patrick, spanning from the 1950s to the late 1990s. Marion has always sensed that something is different about Tom, but she never knew quite what. Always stoic, rarely affectionate, but she loves him. When Tom meets Patrick, he’s enthralled by his knowledge of art, drama, and history. When Marion sees them in a quiet moment, she knows their friendship is deeper than she thought.
Tom and Patrick share this special bond at a time when homosexuality was illegal, and it’s especially risky for Tom as a policeman. To both men, it’s worth the risk.
There’s a lot to unpack in this book; the deception of Marion, the risks to both men just from being in love, the interactions between the three. There’s also the lack of Tom’s perspective, which leads the reader to form his thoughts on their own.
This was a really beautiful story and an honest look at how difficult it was to be queer in this era.
3 people found this helpful
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Avid reader
5.0 out of 5 stars So poignant
Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2022
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I rarely watch a movie made from a book I have read; it never matches up to the thoughts and feelings behind the written word. This time after seeing My Policeman on Prime I decided to read the book. The movie was so moving and emotional and I was overcome by feelings as I watched it. I read the book in one day. It was even more moving and emotional than the movie. It was so well written. I could feel everything the main character (Marion) was feeling and also what Tom and Patrick were feeling. The book was wonderful; the movie was great. This is an emotional read and will have anyone examining their feelings about love and companionship. Highly recommend both in either order-book or movie first.
7 people found this helpful
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Holly La Pat
3.0 out of 5 stars 3-1/2 stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2022
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I didn't expect a happy little tale ... and it’s a good thing. Bethan Roberts paints a sad picture of a romantic triangle in 1950s England, when being gay could literally get you beaten, jailed or killed. The central protagonist, Marion, is hopelessly in love with Tom, beginning in her early teens, although no romance develops at that time. Apparently no other man ever enters her mind, despite years of separation. That's sad enough to begin with. When they reconnect as adults, a still-smitten Marion sets out to win Tom, although he's rarely much more than friendly. When they finally start actually dating, Tom's new friend Patrick often comes along, and Tom seems very enamored of Patrick. The first quarter of the book ends with Tom proposing to Marion at last ... in Patrick’s apartment, thoughtfully lent to Tom for the occasion. Warning bells, anyone?

As readers we already know that Tom and Patrick are involved, and the next section of the book tells Patrick’s side of the story. He’s already come to terms with his sexuality in a way that Tom hasn’t yet, and his attitude toward Marion is friendly on the outside but calculating on the inside. This makes a lot of his actions less than sympathetic. But admittedly, he’s in a no-win situation himself, and his narrative is more interesting than Marion's.

I won't share the rest of the plot except to say that it takes some devastating turns and does have some emotional payoffs. Bethan Roberts is a skillful writer ... but although I'm a patient reader, I felt the story could have been better paced. We spend an awfully long time experiencing Marion's misery while the situation develops very slowly. Again, I didn't expect a happy little tale, but I still couldn't help feeling that the telling could have been less static and dreary.
18 people found this helpful
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RueRue
5.0 out of 5 stars Do not judge a book but it’s cover
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2022
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First, I ❤️this book ! So heartbreaking, beautifully written, the author made each of the three characters in this triangle sympathetic and believable. Having said that, Tom is not really very likable and, in fact, is quite self-absorbed. He doesn’t deserve the devotion and love of Patrick and Marion.
The cover of this book makes it seem like this is a steamy romance….it is a melancholy, emotional story, not a romance novel. Shame on the publishers for that misleading cover.
6 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Mateus
5.0 out of 5 stars Chegou dentro do prazo.
Reviewed in Brazil on May 17, 2024
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Infelizmente é com a capa do filme (não curto tanto a estética dessa capa). Não posso opinar sobre a história porque ainda não li.
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Mariana Polanco
5.0 out of 5 stars AMO ESTE LIBRO
Reviewed in Mexico on July 19, 2023
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''My Policeman'' es uno de los mejores libros que he leído en mucho tiempo. Pueden ver la película en Amazon Prime, por si les interesa. El libro llegó en excelentes condiciones y con una portada bellísima (la original).
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Stefania Pilastro
5.0 out of 5 stars Harry Styles
Reviewed in Italy on March 1, 2024
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Quando una persona è dipendente
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Léon
5.0 out of 5 stars Parfait
Reviewed in France on February 10, 2024
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Parfait
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Luna
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow
Reviewed in Spain on December 22, 2023
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Ha sido un libro doloroso. Me vi primero la peli así que mas o menos sabia de que iba la cosa, pero la manera en la que esta escrito me ha hecho ver mejor las diferentes perspectivas, aunque me encantaría una versión de Tom también. Pensé que habría un culpable, pero realmente creo que, aunque Marion la haya cagado, puedo entender la situación y la injustos y la rabia. He sentido muchas cosas leyendolo y ese final ha sido a la vez esperanzador y triste. Increíble.
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