The Tennis Party

The Tennis Party by Madeleine Wickham — published under her real name before she became renowned as Sophie Kinsella — is a sharply observed, brilliantly plotted, and thoroughly entertaining comedy of manners set over a single weekend at an English country house. Published by Black Swan, it was Wickham's debut novel and immediately announced the arrival of a gifted comic storyteller.

Patrick and Caroline Chance are hosting a tennis weekend at their Wiltshire home, and the guests are arriving. But the perfectly planned weekend begins to unravel almost immediately — old resentments surface, new attractions complicate existing relationships, unexpected confessions are made, and the genial facade of English social life is peeled back to reveal the jealousies and desires lurking just beneath.

Wickham constructs her ensemble comedy with exceptional structural skill, managing multiple storylines and characters with the confidence of a much more experienced novelist. The Tennis Party is a genuinely impressive debut — funny, perceptive, and thoroughly enjoyable from the first serve to the final match point.

Product Details

Author: Madeleine Wickham (Sophie Kinsella)
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Publisher: Black Swan (Transworld)
ISBN-13: 9780552776691
Dimensions: Approx. 20 × 13 × 2 cm
Weight: Approx. 0.28 kg
Delivery Time: 3–5 Business Days