All the Words We Know: A Novel

by Bruce Nash

Overview

With wicked humor, genuine poignancy, and clever insight, this is an unforgettable novel about murder, secrets, and memory that is perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Fredrik Backman, and “will be loved by readers wanting to have their heart strings plucked” (The Guardian).

Rose may be in her eighties and suffering from dementia, but she’s not done with life just yet. Alternately sharp as a tack and spectacularly forgetful, she spends her days roaming the corridors of her assisted living facility, musing on the staff and residents, and enduring visits form her emotionally distant children and granddaughters. But when her friend is found dead after an apparent fall from a window, Rose embarks on an eccentric and determined investigation to discover the truth and uncover all manner of secrets…even some from her own past.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781668053621
Publisher:	Atria Books
Publication date:	07/01/2025
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240

About the Author

Bruce Nash is the author of three novels, with All the Words We Know being his first to be published in the United States. He has been shortlisted for several writing awards and his short stories have appeared in several anthologies. He is a retired teacher and now lives on the southern coast of New South Wales, Australia. Find out more at BruceNashAuthor.Wordpress.com. 

Editorial Reviews

"Astonishing and beguiling . . . This is literary art at the most ambitious level, yet All the Words We Know remains a lucid, enjoyable read for anyone."
—?The Sydney Morning Herald

“A rare, beautiful bird of a novel. All the Words We Know offers readers an immersive experience both playful and profound – I found myself speaking so many of Rose's musings out loud, reveling in their gorgeous rhythms, even as the tension of the central mystery had me racing through the pages. I loved this book!”
—Jacqueline Bublitz, bestselling author of Before You Knew My Name

“From a tumble of language, tricks and puns come clues to a murder - and devastating truths about love. All the Words We Know is both unique and daring.”
—Jock Serong, author of The Rules of Backyard Cricket

“A deeply moving, completely charming novel I will be staring out windows thinking on for a long time.”
—Tim Rogers, writer and journalist

“Darkly humorous, bewitchingly original, quietly poignant. A stunning accomplishment. The wordplay sparkles, yet it's the humanity that shines through.”
—Chris Hammer, author of Scrublands

From the Publisher