Frankie Howe was never quite sure enough of herself to take centre stage - after all, life had already judged her harshly. Now in her eighties, she finds it easier to forget the life that came before.
Then Damian, a young Irish carer, arrives at her London flat to keep an eye on her as she recovers from a fall. A memory is sparked, and the past crackles into life as Damian listens to the story Frankie has kept stored away all these years.
From post-war Ireland to the dazzling art scene of 1960s New York, Frankie shares a world in which friendships and chance encounters collide. A place where life blazes with an intensity that can't last but will perhaps live on in other ways and in other people.
Read MoreWarm and wise, Frankie is a woman worth getting to knowImmersive, stunningly written and very emotional - this is a triumph. I defy anyone not to love it (but bring tissues!). Graham's writing gets better and better, and Frankie is his best yetI loved Frankie so much. I couldn't stop reading it, but feel bereft now that I've finishedWhat an unforgettable, heartening book; everybody should read it. The accumulation of grief, the revelation of joy, is so brilliant in the story - from Cork to Picadilly to Greenwich Village - and I just loved every page. Frankie is a triumph, a beautiful book of sunshine and memoryA vivid portrait of one woman's life along with her closest friend, from censorious Ireland of the 1950s to high society New York of the 60s and 70s and the utter devastation of the AIDS epidemic of the 80s. Frankie is a beautifully written, entertaining and intriguing read - I couldn't have loved it moreA great sweep of a novel, full of unexpected twists; Frankie's riveting story is both a tribute to lifelong friendship and the kindness of strangersFascinating, funny, sad . . . Every page is intriguing. Once again, Graham shows his class as a writerHis best yet! Frankie is about a quiet woman who's dismissed and disrespected but lives an extraordinary life. Packed with surprises, it's moving riveting and enriching.