The Whistler Feb/March 2022 | Page 5

Dymphna Flynn ’ s
Dymphna Flynn ’ s

Book Review

My Policeman by Bethan Roberts

Diallers might remember the disruption last May when Harry Styles ( gratuitous pic , below ) came to town and lorries and crews took over the area for filming of the adaptation of My Policeman by Bethan Roberts , which was first published in 2012 and was a Brighton City Reads book choice .

In Peacehaven in 1999 Marion narrates her story through memoir and flashbacks to Brighton in the early 1950s when as a young teacher at St Luke ’ s , she falls in love with Tom , her best friend ’ s handsome older brother . He teaches her to swim in the shadow of the pier , and when he asks her to marry him she is overjoyed , despite hints that he is “ not like that ” and his close friendship with Patrick , a cultured museum curator .
The clue to the novel is in the word ‘ my ’ – Marion and Patrick both love Tom , and have to share him . It ’ s a heartbreaking tale of a threesome obsessed with each other in various ways . Tom needs the safety of his marriage , Patrick is besotted with Tom , and Marion won ’ t let go . Patrick opens up Tom ’ s eyes to a glamorous sophisticated new world . At times Marion ’ s obliviousness seems unbelievable , but her dawning realization of the truth and her reactions feel true to life .
Roberts was inspired to write the novel by EM

GROCER AND GRAIN

1 SURREY STREET , BRIGHTON BN1 3PA
Forster , who once lived in in Brunswick Place and fell for a married policeman 20 years his junior . Because the story is told through Marion ’ s and Patrick ’ s point of view , Tom is strangely less present in the book . Although both sides of the story are completely gripping , Patrick ’ s narration is the more engrossing .
We also see two sides of 1950s Brighton , and the era and seaside atmosphere are beautifully conjured up with the underground gay scene – drinkers in The Spotted Dog , drag queens selling sequins on the seafront – and a straight majority who get on with their lives none the wiser . Plus there ’ s an element of tension with Tom being a policeman and the fact of homosexuality being illegal .
My Policeman is a moving and sad portrayal of two people obsessed with man . The film is due for release later this year , with Harry Styles as Tom , Emma Corrin as Marion , and Rupert Everett as the older Patrick .
Dymphna Flynn is development producer at Pier Productions and judge on the Costa Book Awards
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