There is nothing I love more than being told I cannot have a book I desperately want to read. Fruit Fly, the thrilling new novel from Josh Silver, is currently giving me exactly that experience. After hearing about this dark, twisty story about a woman who becomes completely obsessed with a young gay man, I did what any reasonable person would do: I went to my local bookstore (which for me, happens to be The Strand) to buy it. And then I was told they were sold out. In fact, the person I spoke to said they were completely out of copies and would probably make an Instagram post when they get more in, which is honestly how you know a book has entered the TBRs and lexicons of my fellow readers. I hate you all, but you’re also just like me so in theory I also love you.
And apparently The Strand is not alone. Fruit Fly has been getting a lot of attention since its U.S. release on August 4, and if you are currently trying to track down a physical copy, you may have to exercise a little patience. The good news is that you do not actually have to wait to start reading it, because the book is also available as an ebook and audiobook.
Crooked Lane Books ‘Fruit Fly’ by Josh Silver
Crooked Lane Books ‘Fruit Fly’ by Josh Silver
So, What Is Fruit Fly About?
The setup is deliciously messy. Mallory Maddox is a once-successful novelist who has spent seven years dealing with writer's block and watching her literary relevance fade, and then she meets Leo, a young gay man struggling with addiction who is living on the streets, making money by any means. Mallory sees something in him that she desperately needs: a story.
But this isn't exactly a heartwarming tale about an author helping someone in need. Mallory becomes increasingly obsessed with Leo and convinces herself that his life is hers to tell, because surely the world needs his story and, conveniently, she is the person who can turn it into another bestseller. From there, things get increasingly uncomfortable, dark, funny, and, according to pretty much every description of this book, completely unhinged.
The publisher describes Fruit Fly as a razor-sharp satirical thriller, and the comparisons are pretty irresistible if you like books that make you question whether you should be rooting for anyone at all. It has been positioned alongside R. F. Kuang's Yellowface and Yomi Adegoke's The List, with themes surrounding identity, privilege, appropriation, publishing, and our modern obsession with authenticity.
Who Is Josh Silver?
If the name Josh Silver sounds familiar, you may already know him from his YA novels Happy Head, Dead Happy, and Erase Me. However, Fruit Fly is his adult debut, and his background is almost as interesting as the book's premise. Silver trained as an actor at London's prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before performing in both the West End and on Broadway, then eventually changed careers and began working with teenagers as a mental health nurse. He lives in Manchester.
And if the reviews are any indication, he has arrived in adult fiction with absolutely no interest in playing it safe. Fruit Fly has been called savage, darkly hilarious, provocative, suspenseful, and even a "nail-biter," while Vogue described it as "juicy, dark, funny and heart-wrenching."
How to Read Fruit Fly Right Now
📖 The Physical Book
This is the option I want most, obviously, because there is something particularly satisfying about walking into a bookstore, finding the book you've been thinking about for days, and immediately taking it home. It has a cool cover that will complete my vibe on subway commutes. Unfortunately, copies are proving a little harder to come by at the moment (it’s clear Silver’s publisher underestimated the demand this book would have), so you may have to check your local bookstore's stock or wait for a restock. The U.S. paperback is 384 pages, so once you do get your hands on one, it is also a pretty manageable commitment for anyone looking for a book they can tear through over a weekend.
Crooked Lane Books ‘Fruit Fly’ by Josh Silver
Amazon is another option, although availability and delivery timing can change as copies move in and out of stock. So yes, you can order it, but depending on current inventory, you may have to wait for the next batch to make its way to your doorstep.
🧑💻 Kindle
If your patience has officially run out, the ebook is available now, which means you can skip the physical-book scavenger hunt entirely and start reading immediately. The publisher lists the ebook as one of the currently available editions.
🎧 Audiobook
You can also listen to Fruit Fly if you would rather let Mallory's increasingly questionable decisions follow you around while you commute, walk around the city, clean your apartment, or stare dramatically out a window. The U.S. edition features narration by Will M. Watt and Fiona Mitchell.
If you are anything like me, the fact that Fruit Fly is suddenly difficult to get your hands on is only making the obsession worse. There is something deeply funny about a book that is literally about a writer becoming desperate to get her hands on someone else’s story while I am out here desperate to get my hands on her story. So, The Strand, whenever that Instagram post happens, I will be watching. My notifications are on!
