"Few writers give me such consistent pleasure." Zadie Smith "Hadley is a writer whose reputation grows with every book... This new collection of short stories reconfirms her remarkable talent... Hadley excels at both genres, brilliant at conveying emotion and with an uncanny ability to get under her character's skin... These stories brim with a keen intelligence and linger in the mind long after you close the book." -- Sebastian Shakespeare Tatler "[It is] lapidary, full of the most gorgeous sentences and brilliant observations." -- Alex Preston Observer, 2017 Books of the Year "Hadley's quiet rise to become one of Britain's best writers is further confirmed by her new collection, Bad Dreams and Other Stories... These well-turned, exceptionally nuanced pieces are solidly evocative of place, period...and sensory detail." -- Phil Baker Sunday Times "Compassionate and luminous, Hadley sees... us all: our travails, our fantasies and our small joys." -- Claire Messud Financial Times "It is exquisite, haunting... This is writing of great nuance and psychological acuity... It combines acerbic social observation and wry humour with moments of breathtaking delicacy and tenderness." -- KJ Orr Guardian "The ordinary becomes extraordinary in these masterly short stories by one of the most brilliant and under-read writers of our time." Mail on Sunday, 2017 Books of the Year "Hadley has an anthropological gift; she notices the small, regular gestures and responses of the everyday, and demonstrates their enormous impact on our perception of the world, and thus, every relationship we have." -- Jane Graham and Doug Johnstone Big Issue "The absorbing nature of Hadley's novels is demonstrated... through her ability to capture the intricate details of domestic life and make them interesting... The sense of nostalgia she creates and the wonderfully descriptive storytelling compel you to finish each story." UK Press Syndication "This is a delightful introduction to the absorbing writing of Tessa Hadley and her ability to make domestic life interesting." -- Linda Wright i "Full of... subtle, wise, finely grained observations." -- Claire Lowdon Literary Review "It is the quiet, reflective moments that make Tessa Hadley's stories so poignant and insightful... there is a psychological heft to her observations." -- Eithne Farry Sunday Express "Hadley's writing is direct and a pleasure to read, and she has an uncanny ability to capture the intricate details of everyday life." -- Kate Whiting The Scotsman "A new collection... demonstrates once again Hadley's unerring craft... Hadley's agile sentences never seek to dazzle, yet showcase her unerring craft nonetheless." -- Anthony Cummins Guardian "* Daily Express, Vanessa Berridge, review: 'has a fairly narrow social canvas, writing mainly about the middle classes. But wider truths about humanity come under scrutiny, informed by the same penetrating psychological insights and with characters brought to life with a few fine brush strokes... The deep emotions of the characters are belied by the dispassionate tone of the stories which have a disturbing, almost hypnotic, cumulative effect. These small pieces of ivory are richly enjoyable, revealing a remarkable writer at the height of her powers." -- Vanessa Berridge Daily Express

Tessa Hadley is the author of six highly praised novels, Accidents in the Home, which was longlisted for the Guardian First Book Award, Everything Will Be All Right, The Master Bedroom, The London Train, Clever Girl and The Past and two collections of stories, Sunstroke and Married Love. The Past won the Hawthornden Prize for 2016. She lives in London and is Professor of Creative Writing at Bath Spa University. Her stories appear regularly in the New Yorker and other magazines.