Graceland

A new novel from Bethan Roberts - a brilliant recreation of the early life of Elvis Presley, the making of ‘the King’, and a heartbreaking portrait of the very intense love between him and his mother, Gladys

What if your son was the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll?

From the moment she first holds him, Gladys Presley loves her son Elvis ferociously. She is the one by his side when his father is in the jailhouse; as they move from place to place skirting poverty; as Elvis’s obsession with music grows and he begins his whirlwind rise to never-before-seen success. But while he brings audiences across the land to their knees and achieves unimagined wealth and fame, there is another story - of drinking and diet pills, loneliness and loss - and at the height of his power Elvis finds that even kings must go on alone.

‘Roberts is an exceptionally tender and empathetic writer, and the story of Elvis Presley and his relationship with his mother is one ripe for her skills. both epic and intimate’ Grazia