'Rip-roaring' novel of loyalty and danger to Borough Press

The Borough Press is to publish Canadian author Tyler Keevil's fourth book, No Good Brother.

In her first acquisition for the imprint, Holly Ainley, commissioning editor at The Borough Press, acquired world all language rights from Becky Thomas at Johnson & Alcock in a five figure pre-empt.

No Good Brother is a contemporary story of "masculinity and morality, the loss of innocence and the ties that bind us". It follows Tim Harding who has spent the fishing season in Canada as a deckhand, making an honest living and building a good future. When his hot-headed younger brother Jake tracks him down at the shipyards in Vancouver, Tim senses trouble – he just doesn’t realise how much.

When Tim agrees to help Jake transport stolen goods across the US border down to the notorious Delaney gang’s ranch, so begins an epic, unpredictable journey across land and sea, hounded by freak storms, painful memories and the long arm of the law.

"With echoes of classic Westerns and shot through with unorthodox humour, No Good Brother is a rip-roaring novel of loyalty, love, danger and family", the publisher said.

Ainley said: "I am a huge fan of Tyler’s writing and No Good Brother is an inspired story that defies expectation at every turn. It combines the beautifully controlled literary style of his short stories, with his trademark sharp-witted and heartfelt novelistic style. I’m so excited to welcome him on board at Borough and can’t wait for new readers to discover him.’

Keevil said: "I’m thrilled to be joining the Borough list. No Good Brother is an important book for me and I know it couldn’t be in better hands."

Keevil grew up in Vancouver and now lives in Wales. His previous novels are Fireball and Burrard Inlet, published in the UK by Parthian, and The Drive published by Myriad Editions. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Wales Book of the Year People’s Prize, and the Writers’ Trust of Canada Journey Prize. He is currently the course leader in creative writing at the University of Gloucestershire.

Borough Press will publish No Good Brother in hardback in February 2018.