By Your Side (Signed Edition)
(Author) Ruth JonesThe joyful and life-affirming new novel from the BAFTA-winning co-writer of Gavin and Stacey and the Sunday Times bestselling and Richard and Judy Book Club author of Love Untold. Because second chances come when you least expect them... Linda Standish has been a friend to the friendless for the past thirty-three years, in her role at the council's Unclaimed Heirs Unit.
And now she's looking forward to the joys of an early retirement. But before she hangs up her lanyard, Linda takes on one last case - that of Levi Norman - a Welshman who made his home on a remote Scottish island for the five years before he died. Linda must visit Storrich to track down Levi's remaining relatives...
What brought Levi here? And who did he leave behind? Obliged to travel (by hearse!) with her arch nemesis, and helped (and hindered...) by the local residents, Linda searches for clues to a life now lost. And in the process unexpectedly makes new friends, and discovers things about herself she never knew.
Ruth Jones
Ruth Jones, a Welsh actress and writer known for co-creating Gavin & Stacey, released her novel By Your Side in May 2025. This uplifting story follows Linda Standish, a council worker on the verge of retirement, who embarks on a journey to a remote Scottish island to uncover the story of a deceased man with no known heirs. The novel delves into themes of friendship, love, and community.