4th Estate scoops John Patrick McHugh’s ‘captivating tragicomic’ debut novel

4th Estate, an imprint at HarperCollins, has scooped the “darkly comic, beautifully crafted” debut novel by John Patrick McHugh, author of the short story collection Pure Gold. The novel follows a teenage boy as he comes of age on the west coast of Ireland. The publisher said: "It takes in social class and its firm borders, manhood and its frailties, family and, of course, love."

Publishing director Kishani Widyaratna bought World English volume rights, including audio, to Fun and Games, from Lucy Luck at Conville & Walsh, with Angelique Tran Van Sang at Felicity Bryan Associates now representing the title internationally, for publication in April 2025. 

Widyaratna said: “Fun and Games is a beautifully written, deeply moving, gloriously funny tragicomic debut novel and John Patrick has brought a brilliant flawed teenage protagonist to life in John Masterson. This is a wonderful coming-of-age novel, yes, but it is also one that hums with the humble music of the everyday and with the aspirations and yearnings of each character on the island in its pages. John Patrick McHugh is a tremendous talent.”

McHugh, fiction editor for Banshee magazine, said: “I’m so thrilled, proud and grateful to be working with Kishani and the 4th Estate team on my debut novel, Fun and Games. These characters have lived in my head for the best part of four years and I’m excited for readers to meet them.”

Fun and Games will be published by 4th Estate in hardback, e-book and audiobook in April 2025. The novel has already been praised by writers including Sally Rooney, Colin Barrett, Rebecca Watson and Nicole Flattery.