The Madonna of the Pool

'In the poised assurance of its writing, one has a sense of a writer gifted with an instinctive sense of how to tell a story' –The Spectator

'Writing so accomplished...' –Tablet

'Palpable excellence' –Literary Review

'Stancey writes as [...] an observer of life who is well briefed in the populace's little foibles. Each tale is beautifully crafted and offers an insight into the otherwise private world of its central character; they are vignettes or, in some cases, confessions' –Sarah Morgan, Yorkshire Magazine

'Stancey has pieced together a collection that feels subtle and truthful to the human experience without feeling overwrought [...] a realistic portrayal of human endurance captured in twelve short stories, each intently focused to create a snapshot of the characters' everyday trials and triumphs' –The Book Bag