The Dig

'Shimmers with longing and regret . . . Preston writes with economical grace . . . He has written a kind of universal chamber piece, small in detail, beautifully made and liable to linger on in the heart and the mind. It is something utterly unfamiliar, and quite wonderful' -- Michael Pye * The New York Times Book Review * 'Exciting, evocative and beautifully written. A treasure in itself' -- Griff Rhys Jones 'Wistful and poignant. A masterpiece in Chekhovian understatement' * Times Literary Supplement * 'Beautifully written...there is a true and wonderful ending to the story' -- Bill Wyman * Mail on Sunday * Wonderful, evocative. From this simple tale of dirt, Preston has produced the finest gold. He keeps an iron grip on the reader's attention -- <i>Observer</i> 'A delicate evocation of a vanished era' -- <i>Sunday Times</i> 'A moving novel that coheres wonderfully as it progresses' -- <i>Spectator</i> 'A delicate, quietly affecting human drama' -- <i>Daily Mail</i> 'Intriguing, tender and entertaining ... easily Preston's best' -- <i>Independent</i> 'A rich vein of dry humour runs throughout' -- <i>Evening Standard</i> 'You don't need to be in archaeology - this is a tale of rivalry, loss and thwarted love. It's so absorbing that I read right through lunchtime one day, and it's not often I miss a meal' -- Nigella Lawson 'An enthralling story of love and loss, a real literary treasure. One of the most original novels of the year' -- Robert Harris 'Very fine, engrossing, exquisitely original' -- Ian McEwan