‘Refreshing, even radical … Blood Relatives could never be accused of being dull … the novel’s most eye-catching aspect is its language. Alcock captures not only the voice of his intelligent, happy-go-lucky protagonist, but also the heft and current of his local tongue’ Guardian

‘A challenging and fresh novel' Daily Mail

'An audacious and unpredictable novel, BLOOD RELATIVES is gutsy, gritty and gripping' Shortlist

‘BLOOD RELATIVES is full of daring, authenticity and wit. It is a work of brutal, hilarious poetry whose portrait of a working-class England that is by turns bankrupt and picaresque … It's hard to believe that Stevan Alcock's is a new voice, so confidently does it speak: what it says is original, funny, sometimes shocking, and true’ Rachel Cusk

‘A thrilling book, funny, poignant, dramatic, humane and fresh. Set during the time of the Ripper murders in Yorkshire, Alcock has written a debut novel of stunning narrative control and authenticity. Stevan Alcock is a wonderful find.' Alexander Masters, author of ‘Stuart: A Life Backwards’

‘BLOOD RELATIVES is an unforgettable portrait of growing up in the late seventies, of living through the terror of the Yorkshire Ripper’s murders and of trying to survive a family. This is great writing with fine, subtle and beautiful observations of character . You will be hooked by this terrific new voice’ David Vann, author of ‘Legend of a Suicide’, ‘Dirt’ and ‘Goat Mountain’

‘Written in a vibrant, colloquial tongue, BLOOD RELATIVES airs its secrets against a wider socio-political landscape of late 1970s Britain, where punk, gay liberation, the National Front and Thatcherism all play their part. Alcock’s debut novel strikes both a brutal and brutally funny note’ Wing magazine

‘A fresh and funny coming-of-age novel’ Big Issue