Tom Cox: Everything Will Swallow You
Independent Bookshop Week is of course the best week (so good it lasts nine days, 13-21 June) of the year. In 2026 we are delighted to spend it celebrating all things Tom Cox. We can’t wait to press his books into your hands and to be joined by the man himself for an event in the shop on Tuesday 16th June.
Please join us for a drink and discussion of Everything Will Swallow You, Tom’s latest novel, which will be freshly out in paperback just in time for IBW.
After the discussion there will be a chance to get your stacks of Tom Cox books signed. Something to swallow, in the form of a drink, will also be on offer. Herons and swallows both welcome. Please RSVP to read@heronbooks.co.uk.
About the book
Have you ever been curious about how people live when nobody is watching? Have you wondered whether there’s more going on than meets the eye?
Eric and Carl live in Dorset in a small white cottage under the shadow of a big cliff. Eric sells old records and antiques. Carl cooks, cleans and crochets. Nearing seventy, Eric is a lifelong accumulator of obscure objects whose easygoing, chaotic approach to life masks some of the unaddressed sadness of his past. The significantly younger Carl is an old soul who has a sophisticated emotional intelligence and likes swimming, mid-century female novelists, fibre arts and Dolly Parton. If you passed them on a walk, you may not pay them much attention. Most likely you would see Carl’s long floppy ears, tail and fur and mistake him for a dog. The story of Eric and Carl’s friendship spans twenty-one years: a constant anchor in a changing world. During that time they adopt an eccentric, unlikely gang of fellow travellers. Their wanderings through South West England unfold against a backdrop of lived, local folklore and hints at future apocalypse. All the while, Carl’s true nature remains a closely guarded secret.
About the author
Tom Cox is the author of sixteen books, including the Sunday Times-bestselling The Good, The Bad and The Furry and the Wainwright Prize-longlisted 21st-Century Yokel. His first short story collection, Help The Witch, won a Shirley Jackson horror writing award. Everything Will Swallow You is his third novel. He was born in Nottinghamshire and now lives in Dorset.