“This novel touched me in surprising and unexpected ways. We all know Amy Heydenrych can write, but Bad Luck Penny takes her body of work to new and exciting heights. By telling the intimate, personal story of one family grappling with the aftermath of COVID, the novel evokes themes of generational trauma, broken hearts and shattered dreams. Yet her wry and witty writing style makes it a highly entertaining read. What captured me most was Lou’s story, with which, without giving too much away, many South African women can identify.” – Anna Stroud, author of Who Looks Inside
“Bad Luck Penny by Amy Heydenrych is a stunning book. It’s going to win all the literary awards. The writing is beautiful, introspective and melancholic. I loved reading this book slowly, so I could fully appreciate the beautiful writing … it was delicious. A book about family, grief, trauma, making mistakes and dealing with a mid-life crisis all set in an unmistakably South African context. Definitely my book of the year so far!” – Catherine Jarvis, YA author
“A heartwarming family drama – deliciously and dangerously nostalgic.” – Gail Schimmel, author of, among others, Never Tell a Lie, Little Secrets, and most recently, The Finish Line
“The most beautiful family story I have read in a long time.” – Anna Vaulina, reader
“One of my favourite niche genres is the story of the female protagonist who returns to her childhood holiday home as an adult. These books are often set in America (think the Hamptons and Martha’s Vineyard) or the UK (the Cornish coast). The protagonist unearths family secrets and quite often rekindles – for good or for ill – her relationship with the old flame who never left. Bad Luck Penny belongs firmly in this genre, but is set – delightfully enough – in False Bay, near Simon’s Town. Lou returns to her grandparents’ home with her husband and child in tow, to celebrate the life of her beloved late grandfather. She is also determined to revitalise her flagging literary career by telling her grandmother’s story while she is still alive. The Australian branch of the family is there too with their tone-deaf expat comments that are sure to set her teeth on edge. Also lurking in the village is that old flame, whose hotness burns as high as ever. The novel also reckons with some aspects of our recent apartheid and post-apartheid past. A lovely read! IYL The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller.” – Fiona Snyckers, author of, among others, Now Following You, Lacuna, and most recently, The Hidden
“My book of the month … is Amy Heydenrych’s (aka Amy Johnstone’s) Bad Luck Penny. It’s set in Scarborough in the Cape during the time of Covid and the July riots but also deals with the protag’s gran’s story from when she was young. It’s poignant and funny and the family dynamics in the book are so gorgeously written, I feel like it might just be Amy’s best book yet. My favourite line (amongst many favourites) ‘Her love language was martyrdom’. Fam, I snorted my coffee.” – Pamela Power, author of, among others, Ms Conception, Things Unseen, and most recently, The Sick Room
“Bad Luck Penny adeptly balances the hilarious with the heartfelt in its exploration of midlife, motherhood and a family in crisis. A deeply honest and compassionate story about a woman looking to the future while wrestling with her past.” – Hayley Chewins, author of The Turnaway Girls and the upcoming I Am the Swarm
“An epic tale of family, storytelling at its very best.” – Qarnita Loxton, author of the Being Series and most recently, What’s Wrong with June
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