Stray Dogs

by Richard John Parfitt

SHORTLISTED FOR THE *WALES BOOK OF THE YEAR* 2024

An instant cult classic - Buzz Magazine

A tough growing-up novel, tautly written and full of reflective energy - The Critic

Expertly tempered by something very real; Parfitt’s sublime gift for nailing the romantic yet unruly teenage voice - Nation Cymru

Coming-of-age story and a tense crime drama; Stray Dogs brings together the best of both - Vol 1 Brooklyn, Books of the Month

Grabs the sonic cinema of Springsteen’s Thunder Road by the lapels and smashes it face-first through The Boss’s windshield. There’s no heaven waiting down on the tracks for Turner and his friends, there’s only hell – 3:AM Magazine

Parfitt's blood-soaked fever dream of Toronto teens at the turn of the 80s reads like Taxi Driver turned upside down - John Williams, author of the Cardiff Trilogy

It's a compelling and driven picaresque of great humour, beauty, horror and intense emotional weight, acutely attuned to the world's hopes and heartbreaks. Fantastic, in several senses - Niall Griffiths, author of Broken Ghosts

Stray Dogs is a raw, visceral and hard-hitting read, with a distinct and memorable voice - Emma Hooper, author of We Should Not be Afraid of the Sky

This novel is as fierce, catchy and full of hooks as any of his brilliant songs - Jon Langford, The Mekons

Stray Dogs exceeded my expectations and gave me a new author to be very excited about - TriYou

Fasten your seat belt, Richard John Parfitt has a journey for you – Wow!' - Murder in Common

176 pages, Paperback

Published August 11, 2023

About the author

Richard John Parfitt was shortlisted for the Rheidol Prize in 2019 for his long form essay, 'Tales From the Riverbank'. In 2023 Third Man Books published his first novel, 'Stray Dogs', which was shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year 2024.

Reviews

[Teddy G · Rating 3 out of 5]

brilliant storyline, felt a bit rushed. i dont know whether this was because i liked the characters and wanted more of them because the chapters seemed to end too soon and jump around a tad. absolutely brilliant story just couldve done with another 100 pages

[Stagger Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely wonderful. At first I thought it was a stylish but derivative, lean and simple Y.A. novel but it is so much more than that. Full of sparse but powerful language, brilliant but unshowy characters and scenes. A cumulative affect. Just brilliant.

[Donna Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking, coming of age crime novel about flawed teenage characters. Set in Toronto in 1979. It reads fast and has a great ending too.

[Ramona Lush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some messed up teens on the run from a motorbike gang form an unlikely alliance and fight back. Loved it. Read it in an afternoon.

[Ray Lauder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great coming of age story set in 70's Toronto - it's up there with The Catcher in the Rye. It's a Netflix in waiting. I love it.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rough but hopeful coming-of-age novel. Terse yet fluid prose centered around likeable teen dirtbags. Of a spiritual kind with The Basketball Diaries and The Outsiders/Rumble Fish.

[AJ Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alright, easy and short. Bring along on a medium bus ride.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite this being set for a large part in a Toronto winter it seemed like the perfect read during a heatwave in NYC between exploring mostly new-to-me bands. Quick and clever read with vivid imagery.