Stray Dogs
“Richard John Parfitt (of the critically acclaimed band 60ft Dolls) writes taut, tense, economical, prose and this novel is as fierce, catchy and full of hooks as any of his brilliant songs.” — Jon Langford, The Mekons
"An instant cult classic."—Buzz Magazine
"Coming-of-age story and a tense crime drama; Stray Dogs brings together the best of both." —Vol 1 Brooklyn
"A tough growing-up novel, tautly written and full of reflective energy."—The Critic
Turner is a high school dropout newly arrived in Toronto. After taking a job selling dictionaries for a local grifter named Romeo Silva, the day goes wrong and Turner gets into a fight with a biker who ends up getting stabbed in the head. On the run from both Romeo and the Devil’s Children biker gang , Turner and his pals, Millboy and Frankie, find an abandoned summerhouse in which to hide out. But tensions within the group damage personal relationships as external threats converge to destroy the lives they had. In this hardboiled coming-of-age story that explores friendship, sex, drugs, and family: three teenagers on the edge of seventeen discover themselves and each other during a road trip of wild reversals on a journey that will haunt them forever.
"Expertly tempered by something very real; Parfitt’s sublime gift for nailing the romantic yet unruly teenage voice." — Rachel Tresize, Nation Cymru
"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
“Stray Dogs is a raw, visceral and hard-hitting read, with a distinct and memorable voice. It takes readers deep into the gritty depths of the city and into the minds and hearts of the characters we find there.” - Emma Hooper, author of We Should Not Be Afraid of the Sky
Author:
Richard John Parfitt
photo: Lucy Harvey
Richard John Parfitt is a writer and musician. Born and living in South Wales, he spent two years as a teenager in Toronto, Canada. In the mid 1990s he was founder member of rock group 60ft Dolls, scoring a top 40 album and a number of hits. The group played with well-known bands like Oasis, Dinosaur Jr, and the Sex Pistols. As a songwriter and musician, he has worked for many high-profile artists including Dido, Duffy and McAlmont & Butler. As a writer, he was shortlisted for the New Welsh Review Rheidol Prize. He has also had work published in Planet: The Welsh Internationalist, The Conversation, and Wales Arts Review, The Portland Review and Red Pepper.
