I need to acknowledge the love and support I have had from my family: my parents, Gill and Nigel Calvert. My sisters, Laura, Sita, Ruth and Claudia. My brothers, Jack, Matt and Martin. And little Bess and Zig. All my brilliant cousins. All my uncles and aunties. My grandparents, who I love and miss.
Need to acknowledge my brother Jimmy Davey and my good good friends that haven’t been mentioned above: Adam Bloomfield. Billy Carabine. Callum Locke. Dawna King. Evie Manning. Freddy Vernon. George Latham. Kieran Barry. Kitty Zinovieff. Luke Eastop. Maisy Siggurdson. Niaomh Convery. Sophie McGeevor. Sam Soan. Mica Levi. Thank you guys so much.
Want to acknowledge south-east London; even though you’re changing, you’re still my engine and my anchor.
Want to acknowledge Murphy; my wolf.
Charissa Gregson, Emma Brook, Rebecca Danicic; thank you for your time and attention, your patience and encouragement.
Assia Ghendir, thank you for your love.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the help I have received from India Banks — in this novel and in all the things I’ve written. But especially for the guidance in understanding Becky better and for the support in writing ‘A Hammer’.
A NOTE ON THE AUTHOR
Kate Tempest was born in London in 1985. She has published two plays, Wasted and Hopelessly Devoted, and two collections of poetry, Everything Speaks in its Own Way and the acclaimed Hold Your Own. Her epic poem, Brand New Ancients, won the 2012 Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry. Her album Everybody Down was nominated for the 2014 Mercury Music Prize. She is a Next Generation Poet. The Bricks that Built the Houses is her first novel.