Malcolm Duffy – författare

'Razor sharp, fast moving, and impossible to put down... This is Malcolm Duffy at the top of his game.' Brian Conaghan, author of Treacle TownTwo unlikely worlds collide as prize-winning Malcolm Duffy explores the life-changing repercussions of a single action in a game gone wrong.Sixteen-year-old Rory is a rule-breaker, a risk taker, a maverick. As a kick he comes up with a game called Dead Straight Line. The idea is simple wherever you happen to be, you've got to get home in a dead straight line. Across the back gardens of stranger's houses, locked parks, trespassing on private property whatever it takes.One day, Rory pressures his friend Eliot into playing, resulting in a serious accident. Shunned by friends and facing pressure from his furious parents, Rory becomes even more angry and disruptive. When his school suggests helping out a care home, he's unimpressed. But paired up with Tanker, an eighty-year-old Geordie military veteran, who fought in the Falklands War, things slowly begin to change. From seeking thrills to finding friends, choosing the right path in life is never a dead straight line. But there is always a way.** PRAISE FOR DEAD STRAIGHT LINE **'[An] empathetic, powerful, important novel for young men, one that should not be missed.' Keith Gray, author of Ostrich Boy 'I'm a sucker for a funny narrator dealing with bleak stuff! Laughed loads and cried for two whole chapters.' Patrice Lawrence 'The best YA novel I have read in the past 10 years.' Tom Tolkien, The School Reading List '[A] Compelling novel for today's teens about taking risks, peer pressure and paying for our mistakes.' Tamsin Winter, author of I Dare You

‘Razor sharp, fast moving, and impossible to put down... This is Malcolm Duffy at the top of his game.’ – Brian Conaghan, author of Treacle TownTwo unlikely worlds collide as prize-winning Malcolm Duffy explores the life-changing repercussions of a single action in a game gone wrong.Sixteen-year-old Rory is a rule-breaker, a risk taker, a maverick. As a kick he comes up with a game called Dead Straight Line. The idea is simple – wherever you happen to be, you’ve got to get home in a dead straight line. Across the back gardens of stranger’s houses, locked parks, trespassing on private property – whatever it takes.One day, Rory pressures his friend Eliot into playing, resulting in a serious accident. Shunned by friends and facing pressure from his furious parents, Rory becomes even more angry and disruptive. When his school suggests helping out a care home, he’s unimpressed. But paired up with Tanker, an eighty-year-old Geordie military veteran, who fought in the Falklands War, things slowly begin to change. From seeking thrills to finding friends, choosing the right path in life is never a dead straight line. But there is always a way.** PRAISE FOR DEAD STRAIGHT LINE **‘[An] empathetic, powerful, important novel for young men, one that should not be missed.’ – Keith Gray, author of Ostrich Boy‘I'm a sucker for a funny narrator dealing with bleak stuff! Laughed loads and cried for two whole chapters.’ – Patrice Lawrence ‘The best YA novel I have read in the past 10 years.’– Tom Tolkien, The School Reading List‘[A] Compelling novel for today's teens about taking risks, peer pressure and paying for our mistakes.’ –Tamsin Winter, author of I Dare You

WINNER SHEFFIELD CHILDREN''S BOOK AWARD 2019, YA CATEGORY. WINNER REDBRIDGE CHILDREN''S BOOK AWARD 2019. SHORTLISTED WATERSTONE''S CHILDREN''S BOOK AWARD 2019. WORLD BOOK NIGHT TITLE 2019. – and many more. ''It was the day the clocks went back. That''s when I decided to kill him.'' Humorous and heartbreaking debut novel with the fresh, funny, honest voice of a 14-year-old Geordie lad recounting the trials and tribulations of family life and finding first love. Danny''s mam has a new boyfriend. Initially, all is good – Callum seems nice enough, and Danny can''t deny he''s got a cool set up; big house, fast car, massive TV, and Mam seems to really like him. But cracks begin to show, and they''re not the sort that can be easily repaired. As Danny witnesses Mam suffer and Callum spiral out of control he goes in search of his dad. The Dad he''s never met. Set in Newcastle and Edinburgh, this supremely readable coming-of-age drama tackles domestic violence head on, but finds humour and hope in the most unlikely of­ places. ME MAM. ME DAD. ME. WINNER SHEFFIELD CHILDREN''S BOOK AWARD 2019, YA CATEGORY. WINNER REDBRIDGE CHILDREN''S BOOK AWARD 2019. SHORTLISTED WATERSTONE''S CHILDREN''S BOOK AWARD 2019. SHORTLISTED BRISTOL TEEN BOOK AWARD 2019. LONGLISTED BRANFORD BOASE AWARD 2019. NOMINATED FOR THE CILIP CARNEGIE PRIZE 2019. WORLD BOOK NIGHT TITLE 2019.

WINNER SHEFFIELD CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD 2019, YA CATEGORY. WINNER REDBRIDGE CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD 2019. SHORTLISTED WATERSTONE'S CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD 2019. WORLD BOOK NIGHT TITLE 2019. – and many more. 'It was the day the clocks went back. That's when I decided to kill him.' Humorous and heartbreaking debut novel with the fresh, funny, honest voice of a 14-year-old Geordie lad recounting the trials and tribulations of family life and finding first love. Danny's mam has a new boyfriend. Initially, all is good – Callum seems nice enough, and Danny can't deny he's got a cool set up; big house, fast car, massive TV, and Mam seems to really like him. But cracks begin to show, and they're not the sort that can be easily repaired. As Danny witnesses Mam suffer and Callum spiral out of control he goes in search of his dad. The Dad he's never met. Set in Newcastle and Edinburgh, this supremely readable coming-of-age drama tackles domestic violence head on, but finds humour and hope in the most unlikely of­ places. ME MAM. ME DAD. ME. WINNER SHEFFIELD CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD 2019, YA CATEGORY. WINNER REDBRIDGE CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD 2019. SHORTLISTED WATERSTONE'S CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD 2019. SHORTLISTED BRISTOL TEEN BOOK AWARD 2019. LONGLISTED BRANFORD BOASE AWARD 2019. NOMINATED FOR THE CILIP CARNEGIE PRIZE 2019. WORLD BOOK NIGHT TITLE 2019.

''A story with great heart, and wisdom, which shows the healing power of true friendship'' Ele Fountain, author of Boy 87. Written with humour and heart, Sofa Surfer looks at what it means to be homeless. Malcolm Duffy''s debut novel Me Mam. Me Dad. Me., about domestic violence, won the YA category of the Sheffield Children''s Book Award 2019, the Redbridge Children''s Book Award 2019, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children''s Prize 2019 and selected for World Book Night. 15-year-old Tyler''s teenage angst turns to outright rebellion when his family leave London for a new life in Yorkshire. He''s angry with his parents about the upheaval and furious at losing his home. With only the dog to confide in, Tyler has no idea that a chance meeting with a skinny girl called Spider will lead him into a world he never even knew existed. Spider is sofa surfing and Tyler finds himself spinning a tangled web of lies in his efforts to help her escape her world of fear and insecurity. Sofa Surfer shows how empathy and action can help those without a home to go to. As with his widely praised debut Me Mam. Me Dad. Me., Malcolm Duffy finds humour and heart even in dire situations. Relevant, warm and rewarding Sofa Surfer is about what happens when going home isn''t an option.

'A story with great heart, and wisdom, which shows the healing power of true friendship' Ele Fountain, author of Boy 87. Written with humour and heart, Sofa Surfer looks at what it means to be homeless. Malcolm Duffy's debut novel Me Mam. Me Dad. Me., about domestic violence, won the YA category of the Sheffield Children's Book Award 2019, the Redbridge Children's Book Award 2019, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Prize 2019 and selected for World Book Night. 15-year-old Tyler's teenage angst turns to outright rebellion when his family leave London for a new life in Yorkshire. He's angry with his parents about the upheaval and furious at losing his home. With only the dog to confide in, Tyler has no idea that a chance meeting with a skinny girl called Spider will lead him into a world he never even knew existed. Spider is sofa surfing and Tyler finds himself spinning a tangled web of lies in his efforts to help her escape her world of fear and insecurity. Sofa Surfer shows how empathy and action can help those without a home to go to. As with his widely praised debut Me Mam. Me Dad. Me., Malcolm Duffy finds humour and heart even in dire situations. Relevant, warm and rewarding Sofa Surfer is about what happens when going home isn't an option.

Two very different boys, one new family, a shared struggle and a big secret.Tommy is talented, cool, a young offender, and dyslexic. Ryan is smart, uncool, well-behaved, and dyslexic. The two develop an unlikely friendship.As Ryan helps Tommy to read, a secret is revealed that will change their lives forever.Prize-winning Malcolm Duffy''s third novel explores the joys and challenges of dyslexia in a story full of his hallmark heart and humour. For 12+.Reviews for Read Between the Lies:''A grippingly unfolding domestic drama... The book''s two engaging narrators learn and teach the value of empathy with others'' Sunday Times Children''s Book of the Week ''An honest, open family drama shining a light on dyslexia'' Sunday Express ''An engaging book for young readers... with lies, secrets, and dyslexia at the heart of the story''Armadillo Magazine

WINNER OF THE FCBG CHILDREN''S BOOK AWARD 2025, OLDER READERS'' CATEGORYEscaping war is only half the battle as the Kovalenko family swap Ukrainian dangers for life with a British family.15-year-old Kateryno and her family live in Kharkiv. Their lives are shattered when on February 24th 2022 the Russian army invades. Their apartment block is struck by a missile. After weeks living in their basement, Kateryno, her mother, and brother, decide to leave, joining seven million Ukrainian refugees. They come to England and meet their host family, the Hawkins. But their new beginning brings a whole new set of problems.

Two very different boys, one new family, a shared struggle and a big secret.Tommy is talented, cool, a young offender, and dyslexic. Ryan is smart, uncool, well-behaved, and dyslexic. The two develop an unlikely friendship.As Ryan helps Tommy to read, a secret is revealed that will change their lives forever.Prize-winning Malcolm Duffy's third novel explores the joys and challenges of dyslexia in a story full of his hallmark heart and humour. For 12+.Reviews for Read Between the Lies:'A grippingly unfolding domestic drama... The book's two engaging narrators learn and teach the value of empathy with others' Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week 'An honest, open family drama shining a light on dyslexia' Sunday Express 'An engaging book for young readers... with lies, secrets, and dyslexia at the heart of the story'Armadillo Magazine

WINNER OF THE FCBG CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD 2025, OLDER READERS' CATEGORYEscaping war is only half the battle as the Kovalenko family swap Ukrainian dangers for life with a British family.15-year-old Kateryno and her family live in Kharkiv. Their lives are shattered when on February 24th 2022 the Russian army invades. Their apartment block is struck by a missile. After weeks living in their basement, Kateryno, her mother, and brother, decide to leave, joining seven million Ukrainian refugees. They come to England and meet their host family, the Hawkins. But their new beginning brings a whole new set of problems.