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Everything Will Swallow You

From the Sunday Times-Bestselling Author

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Everything Will Swallow You

By: Tom Cox
Narrated by: Justin Avoth
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'One of our very best authors ... Very funny, very moving novel' The New World
'Charming portrait of friendship and loneliness' Daily Mail
'Deeply comforting' Guardian
'Funny, inventive and beautifully heart-breaking' Irish Times


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.

Tom Cox's third novel is a rare gem, centred around the importance of friendship, the power of landscape and the joy of accepting the unusual. Everything Will Swallow You will make you think deeply about the place you occupy in the grand scheme of things and give fresh perspectives on how to live and love in the present moment.©2025 Tom Cox Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Funny
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I really loved this, it was such an unusual story, yet juxtaposed with the characters living ordinary lives. Some aspects of the story reminded me of my own past, Pennys relative and the big house and the generous gatherings. And making a life and the ups and downs and knitting and gardening and the ordinary things that make a quiet life special. The descriptions of the countryside and places are beautiful and there are some genuinely funny interactions between the characters now, not trying too hard. TC has developed in his writing so very much and this story contains much more of what I liked in his nature writing. Ok, I could take or leave the music references other than what pertained to the main characters history, but all in all a brilliant book, brought to life by the great narration. I shall feel bereft now it’s finished. A little bit of me has just wandered off into the sea too…

Gentle, magical story

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What a truly lovely listen. Tom has created characters and a narrative that will stay with me for a very long time. This is a wonderfully spiral-shaped story, unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It feels as though Carl, one of the (ever intriguing) central characters, has knitted it together with a gorgeous pattern inspired by landscapes and people. I will definitely listen again, without a shadow of a doubt. The narrator is beyond perfect too — I’ll be seeking out his work and very much hope he and the author collaborate again.

Beautiful book

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I keep re-listening, makes me laugh… and cry. It’s FABULOUS. Am genuinely in awe of the way Tom Cox conceives his characters and stories

Wonderful - I LOVE this

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Unique - I can’t really find the words to do justice to this book. It draws you in with warmth, humour, sensitivity, wonderful characters, and the beauty and quirkiness of the landscapes and people of Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall, only to break your heart (in the best possible way). Superb narration too

Gorgeous

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and the quality of the prose but this left me untouched. Maybe if I had any interest in music...I only kept reading because I wanted to know more about Carl and that, ultimately, wasn't satisfying. Left me disappointed

I acknowledge the talent of the author

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