The Three Wives of Charlie Mellon is a sharp, warm-hearted comic novel about one man’s chaotic attempt to keep his life from falling apart—again. Set in a small British town that’s full of gossip, debt, and dodgy builders, the book introduces us to Charlie Mellon: husband, handyman, sometime gambler, and forever in over his head.

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Charlie’s a man with a plan—if only he could remember where he put it. He’s working (slowly) on finishing the kitchen in his marital home, juggling odd jobs and keeping an eye on his ever-dwindling finances. But life, as usual, has other ideas. Just when things start to settle, old complications resurface and new ones come knocking—usually at the worst possible moment.

At the heart of Charlie’s world are three women who know him a little too well. There's the one he’s married to, the one he used to be, and the one who isn't his at all but somehow manages to make him feel like she is. Each of them has a claim on his time, attention, and—most pressingly—his wallet. As he tries to stay one step ahead of disaster, Charlie must reckon with the lies he tells others and the bigger ones he tells himself.

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Packed with quick dialogue, heartfelt moments, and a cast of characters who feel like neighbours you’ve known for years (and secretly gossiped about), this is a story about love, debt, loyalty, and the small-town dramas that turn into life’s biggest crises. It's about good intentions, bad timing, and the kind of hope that keeps you going, even when common sense tells you to give up.

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The Three Wives of Charlie Mellon delivers its humour with bite and tenderness, walking the line between farce and feeling with real grace. Fans of smart, character-driven comedy will find plenty to enjoy here. Nick Hornby meets Roddy Doyle in a novel that’s both a comedy of errors and a love letter to people who can’t quite get their act together—but keep trying anyway.

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Without revealing too much, let’s just say that Charlie’s journey is anything but smooth. He stumbles, schemes, evades, and apologises his way through a plot full of twists and close shaves. But through it all, the story remains grounded in its emotional core: a flawed man doing his best to fix the things he’s broken, and sometimes even managing to make things right.

This is a book for readers who like their comedy grounded in real life, their characters messy and loveable, and their stories with just enough tension to keep the pages turning. Whether you're in it for the laugh-out-loud moments or the quiet emotional payoffs, The Three Wives of Charlie Mellon offers a richly rewarding read from start to finish.

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