The Fathers cover art

The Fathers

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 Months Free + £10 Audible voucher

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Get this deal
Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST.
More purchase options

The Fathers

By: John Niven
Narrated by: Angus King
Get this deal

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £14.92

Buy Now for £14.92

In a busy maternity ward, first-time father Dan meets Jada, a dad welcoming his fifth – no, sixth? – child into the world. Dan and Jada come from very different places: both called Glasgow. Dan is a successful TV writer with a townhouse in the West End and a shiny Tesla ready to drive his wife and baby home. Jada is a hustling, small-time criminal who is already planning how to separate Dan from some of the luxuries Jada has never been able to enjoy in his tiny flat in a Brutalist sixties council block.

Both men find that the birth of their sons has fired their ambitions. Dan plans to walk away from his saccharine TV success and finally knuckle down to writing that novel he always felt he had in him. While, for Jada, it’s the opportunity for one last get-rich-quick scheme – ripping off a local airport. When a tragedy occurs, their worlds are brought closer than either could ever have imagined – close enough that it could mean destruction for both of them . . City Life Genre Fiction Urban Funny Heartfelt Witty Thought-Provoking
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic reviews

Praise for John Niven: 'Riotous and yet bracingly moving
The writing is first rate, without announcing how good it is
Niven is a tremendous storyteller
There's nothing faster, sadder or funnier than John Niven on men (CAITLIN MORAN)
Niven's writing is so buzzy and fresh, it's still wet on the page
Vivid, visceral, brilliantly funny in places, dispensing sharp punches to the gut in others
Probably the most exciting British writer working today (DANNY WALLACE)
All stars
Most relevant
This is Just John Niven……. Pure Brilliant, laugh, cry and think of a mad world … end of!

At his best as always

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great story, great characters all of them likeable in their own way. Sad and funny. The narrator was absolutely brilliant. Niven at his best,

I loved it

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
excellent narration. and of course john niven is the master story teller. highly recommended. all john niven is recommended

brilliant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
funny and emotional at the same time. I couldn't leave it for a minute. another classic from a great author.

Johns writing is always excellent.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Loved the back references to other Niven books. A brilliant storyline and narrated in the familiar, wonderful voice we know and love from The Amateurs audiobook. Highly recommended.

Vintage Niven!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews