Trumpet

Winner of the 1998 Guardian Fiction Prize, Jackie Kay's captivating novel delves into the inner workings of the human heart to reveal an unforgettable story about love, loss, and identity.

The music of legendary jazz trumpeter Joss Moody touched the souls of all who listened. But his death, exposes an extraordinary secret, one that he shared in life only with his beloved wife, Millie. When their adopted son, Colman, learns the truth about his father, his rage compels him to collude with a tabloid journalist. Besieged by the press and overwhelmed with grief, Millie secludes herself in their remote seaside home. There, she seeks solace in treasured memories of her fiercely private marriage, while Colman searches for answers that can resolve his resentment and confusion. The reminiscences of those who knew Joss Moody render a complex and moving portrait of two people whose shared life was founded on an intricate lie that preserved their family, and their rare, unconditional love.

Starkly beautiful, emotionally charged, and wholly unexpected, Trumpet delves into the most intimate workings of the human heart and mind. It is a bravura performance and a mesmerizing debut.

" Supremely humane.... Kay leaves us with a broad landscape of sweet tolerance and familial love." --"The New York Times Book Review"
In her starkly beautiful and wholly unexpected tale, Jackie Kay delves into the most intimate workings of the human heart and mind and offers a triumphant tale of loving deception and lasting devotion.
The death of legendary jazz trumpeter Joss Moody exposes an extraordinary secret, one that enrages his adopted son, Colman, leading him to collude with a tabloid journalist. Besieged by the press, his widow Millie flees to a remote Scottish village, where she seeks solace in memories of their marriage. The reminiscences of those who knew Joss Moody render a moving portrait of a shared life founded on an intricate lie, one that preserved a rare, unconditional love.