A Petrol Scented Spring

‘A fascinating insight into one of the most compelling stories in the history of the women’s suffrage movement.’

* The Times *

‘Ajay Close's writing hums with an electric tension, her dialogue is superb, as is her insight into the complex mix of human imagination and emotion. This is a truly gripping novel, one which had me totally involved with the lives of the central characters.’

* Scottish Review *

‘Uncompromising in its honesty and compelling in its narration . . . Ajay Close has hit on a real-life story that may prove to be one of the gems of the year.’

* The Herald *

‘Cunningly constructed and well written.’

* The Sunday Times *

‘A captivating and nuanced read . . . Close writes witty and humorous dialogue that has the duck, dive and jab of a boxing match between characters.’

* Scottish Review of Books *

‘A thought-provoking and revealing read . . . Close’s sophisticated writing is never less than engrossing.’

* The Scotsman *

‘Turbulent scenes on the streets of Perth a century ago are brought to life in a new novel about the struggle for women’s votes.’

* Dundee Courier *

‘An engrosssing read filled with rich relationships and keen observations.’

* Buzz Magazine *

‘Novelist Ajay Close looks behind the satin sashes at the women who wanted the vote enough to break the law and risk their lives. Her new novel A Petrol Scented Spring is based on a true story she uncovered as a writer-in-residence in Perth.’

* The Daily Record *

‘A beautifully written, accomplished novel that vibrates with authenticity. If you are looking for a novel that brings you into another world and leaves you thinking about it for days after you finish, this is it.’

* Bottle Imp, the Best Scottish Books of 2015 *

‘Ajay Close is brilliant.’

‘Inventing a fictional narrative for her real-life principals, Close writes with breathless wit, dizzying passion, a quick sympathy for her two heroines, and an unflinching eye for the mechanics of the medical procedures inflicted on prisoners of conscience. ’

* Kirkus Revie