Blurred Faces

by Allan Radcliffe

From Scotland's National Book Awards and McKitterick Prize shortlisted author Allan Radcliffe
An Irish Independent best book of 2025

When two men meet on a dating app, it’s supposed to be a casual encounter between strangers. Jordan is only back in Edinburgh to visit his complicated family, and Davie is reeling from a painful breakup.

Yet Davie recognises Jordan as someone he knew long ago, when they were both closeted teenagers at the same school. Back then, Jordan was relentlessly bullied and Davie was one of the bullies. But Jordan doesn’t remember him at all.

Against the backdrop of a city steeped in memories, Davie and Jordan find themselves drawn together again and again. A fragile intimacy blossoms between them, but can anyone ever be free of their past?

PRAISE FOR ALLAN RADCLIFFE'S WRITING
'Each and every sentence has been so elegantly penned' —The Scots Magazine
‘Gentle, anguished, warm, real and wonderful’ —Irish Independent
'There is much to admire... from the elegance and economy of the writing to the understanding of the emotional difficulties' —The Scotsman

Kindle Edition

Expected publication May 25, 2027

Reviews

[Christina Mitchell]

I LOVED this book. The tension throughout was absolutely beautiful, just there without ever being too much, and the use of setting to show the character's inner worlds was so subtle and extremely well done. Though I usually don't enjoy standalone books that end in cliffhangers, it was the most powerful way to end the story and encouraged reflection on the characters and how short of a time period it took place in.
In a world that desperately needs more ordinary and relatable queer characters without a hint of the usual 'otherness' I am so glad to have this book. It will live proudly on my shelf, and I will recommend it enthusiastically to anyone who asks what I like to read.

[Pierre (pierrereads)]

You know, I was unsure about this quiet, calm and uneventful book but I found myself enjoying it a lot the more I read of it.

The writing style took me a second to get accustomed to, mainly because it's a bit Scottish and I had to look up a decent number of words and expressions but that's hardly a complaint.

I'm not quite sure yet how to review litfic, mainly because I'm still new to this genre but I found it to be compelling, well-written and kept me hooked throughout the reading process.

My main gripe with this book is that we didn't get a "confrontation" or anything of the sort between David and Jordan, concerning the fact that the former bullied the latter as a kid, as it happened off-page in the form of a letter and I found that to be a tad disappointing.
I was also confused every now and then because they both read quite similar sometimes.

[Sara]

Our book club likes to find local reads, and this is such a faithful depiction of real rather than touristy Edinburgh. The main character happened to be the same age as me so it just all felt so familiar.

Everyone is a bit sad so I was glad it was a short read and the misery wasn't stretched out further!

[Katie Allen]

3.75✨

[Jamie Walker]

So beautiful in its simplicity - may have cried several times.

Such a compact emotional bomb, the characters’ histories are woven so exquisitely, you truly understand their every move as they navigate their way out of purgatory and debate whether they deserve to desire.

[Maisy]

3.75

[innes]

“and later on, i’d look at our father from time to time, wondering if the person he’d been- the electrician and storyteller and instructor- was still in there, somewhere.”

[Julie Bain]

A deep dive into the life and experiences of the two main characters, as their paths cross on a weekend in Edinburgh. To me, it spoke to how we are all made up of our experiences and how we must navigate past injury in order to move forward. But it is hopeful too, we can live our best lives in spite of the past.

[Luke]

A great read - enjoyed the Edinburgh based setting and the characters’ stories were brilliantly told. Would love an audio version.

[Wendy Greenberg]

There was much to love about this novel, not least Radcliffe's writing, turn of phrase and the literary shortcuts he uses to pack a punch. It is a similar style to The Old Haunts which I loved, layering episodic back story to inform the present.

Edinburgh. Alternating stories of two sides of a male gay hook-up and how each has reached this point. Whilst I understand the relevance and pervasive nature of alcoholism, for me, it snuffs out much of my interest from a story. No sense of the sanctimonious about me, it just deadens my interest. As much of the backstory feed was how an alcoholic father primed his two sons in different ways, I could not love this book in the way I loved Old Haunts.

[Suzanne Black]

This is such a beautiful book. It captures a moment in time in the lives of the two main characters over the course of a few days. It also captures the specifics of place in its intricately drawn portrait of parts of Edinburgh and generous sprinkling of cultural reference points. Against this detailed backdrop, the two characters hook up, get to know each other and uncover things about themselves, in that order. An exquisitely wrought queer romance that balances the specific with the universal.

[George]

A 3.5. A very interesting portrait of two men in their 40s, set across a few days, dealing with romantic and family relationships, difficult pasts, and regrets. This is just over 150 pages and I felt as if I were only skimming the surface, which left the characters a little one-note. It left me with a lot of questions and not many answers. Well-written but this has scope to be something bigger.

[Jason Blair]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book.

It's such a simple, grounded story that is full of real emotion. The two main characters are extremely well written and the general narrative voice is exactly what I look for in a good read.

Highly recommend. Especially if you're looking for a breather from high fantasy or science fiction.

[Mr Haggard]

Mesmerising. Read it in one sitting on the train to Inverness. Radcliffe's deeply intimate tale of two lonely souls is both richly specific and wholly universal. Came to me at a time when I needed it most.

[Andrea de Vries]

Leest heel fijn, lieve karakters. Bleef soms wel lang hangen bij dingen, waardoor ik er niet snel doorheen kwam terwijl het wel een heel dun boek is. Maar overall zeker leuk om te lezen, met referenties naar Edinburgh!

[Reader]

Allan Radcliffe’s writing is always beautifully judged, with tender, character-driven storytelling that really gets under your skin.

[Lucy]

Gay

[Pierce]

compact and not very plot-driven but striking all the same. very subtle, similar vibes as weekend (2011)

[Nick]

I felt like I struck gold when I read Radcliffe's first book The Old Haunts, and the gold rush continues with "Blurred Faces." It's a kaleidoscopic story of the lives of two Scottish gay men, kicked off by a hookup that then expands to explore their shared past and complicated presents. There are really lovely introspective moments; sharp dialogue with plenty of Scottish phrases and slang to learn; raw and poignant familial relationships on full display. All packed into an economical novel that punches you in the gut with its insights (and awesome Edinburgh backdrop; side note: I was actually able to grab a copy of "Blurred Faces" in Glasgow, then toured Edinburgh the next day!). Man I love reading well crafted queer stories by queer authors, there's nothing else that I can compare it to. A perfect book to finish off the year!

[Nicky Bebb]

edinburgh is not that rainy