The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains

by Sarah Clutton

For readers who love The Midnight Library and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, here comes your next favourite life-affirming, delightful and funny novel, The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains.

Alfie's mum, Emilia, has been lying to him forever.

It's only ever been the two of them in Ireland, but when Emilia's appendix explodes, she drops a bombshell: she has a family back in Australia and she and Alfie are going to meet them.

When Penny Bains opens the door of her Tasmanian farmhouse to a boy with an Irish accent claiming to be the son of her missing daughter, Emilia, her life is turned upside down.

Alfie needs to know who his father is, but the residents of the tiny town of Beggars Rock and his newly found cousin and great-aunts are all staying silent. As Alfie starts to uncover secrets that his family would prefer to keep buried, the one thing he discovers is that no one is willing to tell him the truth.

Unforgettable, funny, life affirming and deeply moving, The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains is an absolute joy.

'A warm-hearted and perceptive story that explores the meaning of family and the ties that bind us. I adored the vivid characters in this stand-out novel – young Alfie Bains leapt off the page and straight into my heart.' Joanna Nell, bestselling author of Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year

'Every family could do with some home truths from the wildly adorable Alfie Bains.' Meg Bignell, bestselling author of The Angry Women's Choir

'Alfie Bains is a delightful, precocious nine-year old who views the world in a completely different way. Through him, we come to understand his difficult family dynamics, the complexities of love, and how to be true to one's self. This bittersweet story will nestle right into your heart.' Petronella McGovern, bestselling author of The Last Trace

Genres: Audiobook, Contemporary, Fiction, Book Club, Australia, Family, Literary Fiction

Paperback

Published April 29, 2025

About the author

Sarah Clutton is an Australian author and former lawyer who writes contemporary fiction full of drama, suspense and humour. Having majored in psychology in her original degree, she is fascinated by people. How does the past shape us? What determines the outcomes when moral and legal boundaries collide? Are the adults really always right?

Sarah's work saw her named as the national recipient of the Dymocks/Fiona McIntosh Commercial Fiction Scholarship in 2018. Her next book, The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains is published by Allen & Unwin and will be on the shelves in 2025. She lives with her family in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales in the tiny, historic village of Berrima. The region is famous for the International Cricketing Hall of Fame, being a Book Town and having a wine trail. Two of those three make her very happy.

Reviews

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emilia Bains has a medical scare, she decides to move back home to Australia, and the small Tasmanian town of Beggars Rock and where her mum lives. Penny is a widow and she runs a sheep farm and she’s shocked when a young boy with Irish accent arrives and he claims to be her grandson and the child of her missing daughter.

Alfie has decided he wants to find out who his father is, and he’s nine and smart and doesn’t believe her test tube scenario and he begins operation tadpole. Alfie has a cousin Harper, two great-aunts Hilary and Rainn and their lips are tightly sealed about the topic. He’s sure his mum and family are keeping things from him, buried secrets and Alfie’s prepared to dig through dirt, leave no stone unturned and get a little wet and uncomfortable to uncover the truth.

I received a copy of The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains by Sarah Clutton from NetGalley and Allen & Unwin in exchange for an honest review. My favourite book so far this year, it grabbed my attention from the first chapter and I didn’t want it to end.

Alfie is delightful and I adored him, he’s funny and his quirky antics made me laugh out loud. A moving and emotive dual timeline narrative about a young boy, and you discover anything is possible and even if you think everything has been lost.

A novel about the highs and lows mothering brings, and especially for Emilia, Penny and Cynthia and with lots of twists and turns along the way, while it covers some serious issues, it's uplifting, joyful and will touch your heart and five stars from me and I highly recommend.

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uplifting, bittersweet and fabulously funny - this story explores the complexities of love and family. Set in the tiny fictional town of Beggars Rock in Tasmania.

Precocious Alfie Bains is an incredible character, who sees the world in a beautifully unique way.

This is a beautiful story that had me tearing up and laughing out loud. It will stay with me for a long time. I am looking forward to reading more from Australian author Sarah Clutton.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Better Reading for an ARC to review. I must admit this is a little outside of my usual genre as I usually enjoy fast paced, plot driven novels and I wasn’t expecting this one to be like that. However I was pleasantly surprised that the pace was constant and I became invested in the characters, especially Alfie and Cynthia.

The synopsis read like many other books - a key character looking for lost family. Yet Sarah Clutton managed to do this in a unique way, I think due to the quirky, mature, infuriating at times yet also juvenile character of Alfie.

In the end I found that I couldn’t put this one down - a clever plot with complex characters made for an exciting and quick read.

[Craig and Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big thanks to Allen & Unwin and Better Reading for sending us a copy to read and review.
A new publisher, a new book and Sarah Clutton returns with an unforgettable and beautifully written tale that will capture, melt and warm your cockles.
The Remarkable Truths Of Alfie Bains is one of my favourite books of the year.
I just loved everything about this story.
Alfie and his mother Emilia arrive in Tasmania all the way from Ireland.
After an operation, Emilia decides to reveal the secret that’s been hidden all of Alfie’s life.
They have a family across the seas.
His grandmother, Penny is delighted her estranged daughter is back.
Alfie also needs to know who his father is but no one will say anything.
What secrets are buried…..
A sublime, spectacular and glorious read.
This book is full of delightful characters, many will lodge themselves into your heart especially Alfie, who is an absolute legend, he made me laugh out loud many a time and I adored him.
A superstar author and book, both will be a rising star.
There’s so much to love about this story and I did, the plot, the cast, the setting, the writing and the storytelling.
I’m shouting from the rooftops, read this book, it’s magical!

[Anna Loder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything about this novel! Alfie was the best, I love him! Loved the setting, you could feel the Tasmanian cold, the small town community and the beauty of the seaside cliffs. I love a novel about sisterhood and you could so feel the frustration and love between Penny, Hilary and Rainn! Loved the motherhood explored in the novel so much..read it immediately, I’m annoyed I had it sitting around! I loved it!!!

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains is the debut novel from Australian author Sarah Clutton and it was a book that captured my heart. Heartwarming and emotional with captivating characters, it was a beautiful family story that I could not put down.

For as long as Alfie can remember it’s just been him and his mum Emilia living in Ireland, but following a medical emergency she confesses that they actually have family in Australia and they’re going to meet them. Arriving on the doorstep of his grandmother’s Tasmanian farmhouse, Alfie is determined to discover his father’s identity, but his new found family in Beggars Rock are keeping the secret to themselves. The more Alfie digs the more he realises that no one is telling him the truth.

Nine year old Alfie Bains absolutely stole the show in this incredibly moving story. His quirkiness and curiosity as well as his thirst for knowledge were so endearing. I loved seeing the relationships form between him and his newly discovered grandmothers. As well as Alfie, I fell in love with Noah, Harper and Cynthia too. Learning more about each of these people added so much heart to the book and all the moments of humour lifted it from what could have otherwise been a tragic and depressing tale. There are certainly some heavier themes explored throughout the story including coercive control, family violence and grief but Sarah writes these with wonderful sensitivity and a light touch.

[Milly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was excited to get my hands on an advance copy of this book by Sarah Clutton, thank you! This was a fantastic read. I couldn’t put it down and fell in love with young Alfie and his determination. I enjoyed the sensitivity with which the author portrayed neurodiversity. The characters were beautifully developed and I’m looking forward to reading more from Sarah Clutton. 👏🏻👏🏻

[Jade]

I find it hard to rate books like these because I know I'm not the intended audience and never would have picked it up if it wasn't assigned for my book club. I can appreciate that it would be a mindless way to pass time on holiday, if that's your vibe.

The setting is pretty, the characters fit into neat little roles and it involves a bit of a dramatic mystery.

I'm a reader who doesn't actively try to figure out the ending of a book but I put it together within the first 50 pages and it wasn't because I'm a genius. I really dislike when the ending of a book hinges on a big reveal that you were bashed over the head with from the start. Combined with zero depth and extremely limited character work. What's the point of the 350 pages I toiled through then?

I disliked almost every character in this book. I thought Penny was a fucking dickhead. She's a shocking mother, a terrible sister and continually idolises Pat and also Julian. She has absolutely no self reflection and excuses her actions with a "maybe I could have done things differently but I was busy on my farm" fuck off. She constantly slut shames her younger sister Rainn who is conveniently reduced to an alcoholic adulterer so that the whole town can collectively hate her. Why do we need to hate on a woman with substance abuse issues when you already have a couple of men beating on their wives? Maybe we could send some of that rage their way?
Thoughts?

I was only ever rooting for Cynthia to leave her husband and shack up with Hilary. Points for Cynthia turning her back on God.

I enjoyed Harper and Noah. Bi-coded character and her ill fated love with a childhood friend and them finding their way back to each other = yes. Ending the book with them married with a child when its stated explicitly throughout the book that they both don't want children and would prefer a more non-conventional lifestyle = wtf?

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Better Reading for the ARC of The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains. A 9 year old that needs answers and is a true sleuth when it comes to uncovering truths. A number of characters make up the ensemble of this tale, and it takes a few chapters to learn them all, and their placement within the storyline. Author Sarah Clutton provides the detail needed to connect and become an observer of the content of the text on every page. It’s dynamic, funny, joyful and bittersweet. Alfie is amazing and the truths, as the title says, are remarkable.

[Kris McCracken · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sigh. Just what we need, another novel built around the miraculous emotional labour of a precocious, neurodiverse wunderkind who exists mostly to reunite estranged families and inspire communal healing. It’s the sort of premise that already feels exhausted, and “The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains” does nothing to convince me there was life left in it.

As a Burnie boy, I was immediately distracted by the bizarre cartographic fantasia on display. This book fuses Stanley, Table Cape and Sister Beach into some uncanny little Frankenstein town that co-exists alongside Wynyard, Boat Harbour, Burnie and Devonport. The whole thing has the eerie unreality of a dream where landmarks shuffle about at random. And if you’re going to evoke carbon copies of Joe and Enid Lyons, just set it in Stanley and call it Stanley and them Joe and Enid Lyons. The half-step between reality and invention is jarring, and not in a clever, liminal way. Just odd.

Then there’s the telling. Endless telling. We’re repeatedly informed how marvellous Julian is, only to witness behaviour that pegs him as a selfish, violent prick. The gap between rhetoric and reality is astonishing. Likewise, the long-awaited reconciliation between Penny and Emilia. Years of abandonment and buried trauma are brushed aside with the brisk efficiency of someone wiping down a laminated menu. It undermines the emotional stakes to an almost comical degree.

The subplots don’t help. They’re undercooked, trite, and about as convincing as a mainlander pretending to know the NW Coast. The lawyer fiancé in particular is a creature of pure fantasy, polished to a high corporate sheen you’d struggle to find anywhere west of Prospect. The tonal issues are worse. It’s already a lightweight, cosy story, so slapping in two suicides plus a history of spousal abuse feels grotesque. High stakes, zero impact. The heavy themes aren’t earned, they’re dumped in like ballast to make the book feel important.

Which brings me to Alfie. The protagonist isn’t a child. He’s a gimmick in short pants. His dialogue reads like an adult flicking through a trivia book and dropping random factoids for colour. He never rings true because he’s not meant to be real. He’s emotional leverage, a convenient tool to wring sympathy out of the reader without doing the hard work of constructing relationships with genuine texture. The book leans on him so aggressively that it becomes manipulative. A kind of literary panacea, but hollow.

The structure is another problem. I shouldn’t have to reread the first fifty pages just to untangle who’s who and where we are. The multi-perspective format could have offered richness, but here it fractures the narrative into a series of disjointed shards. Instead of immersion, I found myself constantly re-orienting, like someone who’d walked into the wrong funeral. The pacing is equally dire. Secrets are rationed with such artificial slowness that by the time the reveal staggers into view, it lands with the dramatic heft of a wet tea towel.

The mystery itself? Transparent. I’d cracked it by chapter three, then had to wade through another two hundred pages of the characters lumbering, with heroic slowness, toward the bleeding obvious. The supposed “twist” is a piss-take. If this is meant to be a thriller, then someone forgot to add the thrills. But, hey, we'll resolve some of the heaviest shit imaginable - the loss of a baby after being beaten by a husband, estrangement with no notice or rationale from a daughter and grandchild for ten years, the suicide of a twin, the suicide of a second brother, the manipulation by a cheating father over decades - in such a trite, banal way is extremely gross.

What frustrated me most was the retreat into sentimentality every time things threaten to get interesting. Family estrangement, coercive control, and intergenerational hurt, all reduced to a warm bath of heart-warming reconciliation. There’s no grit. No exploration of the darker emotional residue. The book flinches from its own subject matter, leaving a narrative that feels oddly antiseptic, saccharine and domesticated. A beige cardigan of a novel. Inoffensive, predictable, and forgotten in an hour.

“The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains” commits the cardinal sin of making big promises then delivering drivel. It tries desperately to be profound, but the result is thin, sentimental mush. One and a half stars, and that’s me being generous.

[Steven Gower · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful novel. I loved it. The characters are beautifully written and the story is fantastic. Families are complicated and far too often hold secrets, if only we were all more honest like Alfie Bain, we would be all in a better place. I found this novel so moving and was thoroughly engrossed. I highly recommend and hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I also believe it will make a great television series or film one day.

[Zoe Rankin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was absolutely delightful.

A wonderful story about family and secrets that had me giggling and crying.

Both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

The protagonists, age 60 and 9, were divine, and I'm sad to say goodbye to little Alfie. It was such a joy, flicking through the pages and spending time with him.

[Deborah (debbishdotcom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The upcoming release listing for The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains by Sarah Clutton compared it to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and so I BEGGED for a copy. Well, I politely requested one and my wish was granted. But, it offered even more than Eleanor because a significant part of the book is written from the point-of-view of almost ten-year old Alfie and I ADORE books written from a kid's pov. This reverence kicked off with Room , then almost everything by Favel Parrett and Trent Dalton, not to mention Eye of the Sheep, Be Frank With Me, Allegra in Three Parts, The Family String, Lost & Found, and the list goes on. In fact I have a half-written post about books written from children's povs and I should resurrect it.

This book is a delight. It's more about families and relationships than secrets. It's about regret, guilt and loss. It's a beautiful novel and I adored the time I spent with the neurodivergent Alfie who Clutton brings to life brilliantly. And yes there were many tears but ultimately they were bittersweet ones.

4.5 stars

Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...

[Jess Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5🌟 would have preferred if Alfie was the only POV. This was a nice book but really struggled with so many characters and sudden character development.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What great characters and a well written, heartwarming story that I did not want to end. Nine year old Alfie and his mum lob into north west Tasmania from Ireland upending the small (fictional) township of Beggars Rock. Penny didn’t know she’d become a grandmother but who is Alfie’s father? He’s on a mission to find out. A light, entertaining story even though it contains references to domestic violence and coercive control. It’s a hopeful story with wonderfully drawn characters that I really enjoyed reading.

[Edwina Kline · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Elly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alfie is such a loveable character

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had to sum up the experience of reading this book in one word, it would be 🧘‍♀️🪷enjoyable🪷🧘‍♀️ The plot was complex and layered but the writing made it really easy to follow. Most of the characters are so loveable, and the ones who are not make you love the other characters even more for standing up to them!

You should read this book if you like:
- Lianne Moriarty
- Relaxed reading
- Stories that are tied with a bow

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feel like the storyline was prolonged for longer than needed however still a lovely read

[Justine · Rating 2 out of 5]

No idea how to review this book, I listened to it at a time when I actually felt like an easy read that didnt take much attention on my part, so it did tick that box. I don't know what the idea is behind making the "twist" obvious from very early in the book. Some characters drove me a bit nuts. The ending was pretty bullshit. It kind of felt like two completely different books, one that was more light-hearted with this endearing kid trying to work out who his father was and building relationships with his grandparents and then this other book that pretty disastrously broached heavy topics of domestic violence, coercive control and misogyny but just tried to tie it all up with a neat bow.

[Emma Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A genuine pleasure to read.

[Caroline O'Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved absolutely everything about this book, I read it over a period of 24 hours and I just couldn’t put it down.

This book was about Alfie Bain, a super intelligent almost ten year old boy. Alfie and his mum have lived in Ireland for years but due to his mum having a health scare, she thought it was time to move back to their home town Beggars Rock in Tasmania where Alfie would have family around him.

I went into this book blind (as usual) and think you should too, so I won’t tell you anything more about the storyline as I don’t want to spoil anything.

What I can tell you though is that every single character in this book played a huge role, they were all very unique but together they were a unit that worked well. The family connections were very special, maybe not all of the time but at the root of it all they were. The growth some of these characters made were lovely to see and I just loved how everyone and everything turned out at the end of the book.

I absolutely loved Alfie’s character so so much, that boy certainly had a village that loved him. I loved the relationship he had with his mum and loved the relationships he developed throughout the storyline with everyone else. He was a very special boy and I’d happily read a book to see what he does next.

If you are looking for a book that will suck you in from the first page and sweep you away then I absolutely recommend that you go pick this book up. A very easy unputdownable book that will have you on the edge of your seat.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book gradually became repetitive, and that made me lose interest at times.
What began with potential ended up feeling stuck in the same emotional loop.

[hiskehp · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reads a little like it was meant for children and the plot was quite obvious from the start

[Di · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book — the characters, the storyline, the setting (Tasmania is beautiful), and the feelings it evoked — but most of all, I loved Alfie!

Alfie is nine years old but wise beyond his years. He’s always lived alone with his mum, but after a medical emergency, he discovers he has family in Australia, and together they return to reconnect. This small town is full of secrets, and curious Alfie is determined to uncover them — especially the truth about who his dad is. Thus, Operation Tadpole is born.

There are laugh-out-loud moments, times that make you hold your breath, and a few teary scenes as the story unfolds. I couldn’t put it down, which lead to a very late night to finish it 😴— every time I thought I had it figured out, something would happen to make me doubt myself.

The story is told through multiple points of view, but I never found it confusing. Each voice is distinct and adds real depth to the story.

Overall, the pace, plot, and ending were deeply satisfying, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this talented Australian author. Happy Reading 🩷📚🩷

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Alfie and his mum, Emilia, return home from Ireland to Tasmania they set in place a chain of events that will change lives, theirs and those of the inhabitants of the small town and their long standing secrets. Uber intelligent, Irish accented 9 year old Alfie is a full on child who wants to know more about his family, not just the grandma he is now staying with, but the grandparents he has never met and, more specifically he sets out to discover who his father is, and why his mother has been lying to him all his life?

This was an interesting read. At times I laughed, at others I groaned, largely due to the character of Alfie and the relationship he had with his relatives - always full on.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
Really interested in the dynamic of the family and the history behind each character . Alfie is so entertaining and a remarkable child . I loved digging into the family secrets . The themes hidden within the story were thought provoking for me .
My rating is based on the fact that the storyline although interesting was predictable . The book was written to create a sense of mystery and unknown . However I thought it was quite obvious how the storyline would end . I would rather the storyline be exposed earlier so we could dive much deeper into each character .
But overall I really enjoyed my time with this book x

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains is a sweet, heartwarming story centred on Alfie, bright and curious almost 10 year old boy with a mind far beyond his years as he moves to Australia from Ireland, learning for the first time he has family. The story is told through multiple viewpoints, including:
* Alfie himself
* Penny - Alfie's grandmother - mother to Emilia, Alfie's Mum, who left town unexpecedly one night, never to be heard from again
* Cynthia - potentially Alfie's paternal grandmother - mother of Alfie's father - although who his father is, is a little uncertain
* Noah - Cynthia's son, not Alfie's father - twin to Ned and older brother to Julian (who was once married to Emilia).

As Alfie embarks on a mission to uncover the truth about his father, family secrets begin to unravel. Convinced that Cynthia is his grandmother, he sets out to piece together the puzzle of his father.

The narrative gracefully shifts between the present day and events from eleven years earlier, revealing what really happened between Emilia, Julian, and Ned and why Emilia left town.

It's a story that’s as charming as it is poignant—an easy, absorbing read that pulls you in with its emotional depth and irresistible protagonist. You’ll fall head over heels for Alfie, all while feeling the quiet ache of love, loss, and the complicated ties that bind families together.

[Jenny Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful story with such a lovable main character Alfie Bains. He arrives from Dublin in a small village in Tasmania where his mother grew up. Alfie is nearly 10 and has only known his mother in his short life. Now he is confronted by a grandmother and some aunts and members of another family to which he believes to belong to. He would love to know who his father is but no-one seems prepared to tell him the truth. Such a great read.

[Millie Kenworthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it! The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bain is a heartfelt, beautifully written story that lingers long after the final page. Sarah has done a brilliant job capturing the complexities of Alfie's world—his quiet observations, hidden hopes, and the bittersweet layers of truth that shape his journey. Every chapter is infused with authenticity and warmth. It’s a remarkable reminder of how extraordinary ordinary lives can be. Highly recommended!