Evenings and Weekends

A London heat wave and a whale stuck in the Thames form the backdrop of McKenna’s stimulating first novel. The narrative unfolds over a pivotal weekend in the lives of a group of friends, as the oppressive weather and crowds of tourists exacerbate their stress over their uncertain futures. Maggie, 30, worries her pregnancy will put a strain on her relationship with Ed and complicate their planned return to their Essex hometown. Ed, in turn, is excited to get away from his dead-end courier job and start a family with Maggie, though he’s also secretly having anonymous sex with men. Ed once carried on a relationship with Maggie’s friend, Phil, who’s falling in love with Keith, one of his roommates in an illegal warehouse loft. The characters’ precariousness is frequently and cleverly laid bare through the presence of the whale, whose ordeal is tied by many to climate change, and the narrative boldly explores themes of sexuality, shame, and miscommunication. McKenna’s ornate tapestry is one to savor. Agent: Liv Maidment, Madeleine Milburn Literary. (July)