“Tim Gautreaux achieves that rare thing – the ability to combine an intense sense of place and atmosphere with believable, interesting characters that you want to invest time in. Underpinning it all is a dark, brooding romantic sensibility that drives the narrative and makes you want more long after you’ve finished reading.” – Kate Atkinson

Synopsis: Tiger Island, Louisiana is home to Paul, a contented machinist with killer dance moves and Colette his ambitious, outspoken wife. Amidst the bar brawls and boiled crab of her economically troubled hometown, Colette is hungry for a life of opportunity and sophistication. Armed with only her wits and her “tongue like a fillet knife” she heads West to California, but Paul, Tiger Island, and its wise old-timer residents refuse to let Colette go easily. Packed with dramatic and emotional scenes and set in the distinctive watery landscape of Deep South bayou country, The Next Step in the Dance is a novel about hard work, the importance of home and two tenacious protagonists whose relationship is tested to its absolute limit.

About the Author: Tim Gautreaux was born in Morgan City, Louisiana (which used to go by the name Tiger Island). He and his family still live in The Pelican State, where he was director of creative writing at Southeastern Louisiana University for thirty years. In addition to The Next Step in the Dance he has published three short story collections and two further novels, including another of our favourite books “The Missing”. He collects railroad and steamboat memorabilia, dances a mean Cajun waltz and has an old steamboat whistle as his incoming email alert

Publication date: November 6th, 2014
Price: £9.99

Available from Mr B’s Emporium and all good high street bookshops.