The remarkable truths of Alfie Bains by Sarah Clutton

A  young boy rings the bell at an elderly woman’s house and in a serious tone tells her that he is her grandson, is in need of a family, and that once she gets over the shock she will probably like him, because he is a very interesting person. This is the beginning of Alfie’s quest to find out about a family he never knew existed. Overcoming his disappointment on realising that his mother has lied to him and his father is not an anonymous sperm donor with a PhD in astrophysics, but could actually be alive somewhere, his detective skills swing into action as ‘Operation Tadpole’, and he determines to solve the mystery.

Alfie Bains is a unique character; he is clearly neurodivergent, highly intelligent, and fascinated by science. He constantly astounds adults with his logical thinking and adult vocabulary. This makes for many amusing scenes, one of the most memorable being the child-friendly doctor doing a Donald Duck imitation only to be met with perplexed puzzlement by his more mature young patient.

Clutton writes some chapters from Alfie’s point of view, whilst others present the perspectives of various adults involved in the web of deception, and weaves a mix of episodes from the past and the present. Despite the young protagonist, this is not a YA novel; Clutton explores issues of control, deception, domestic violence, depression and regret, though not in a way that is overwhelming or disheartening. It is basically a mystery story; the pieces gradually coming together in a satisfying way, and with a lot of laughs along the way. Highly recommended.

Themes: Gifted child, Family, Mystery, Domestic violence, Women, Community.

Helen Eddy