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01 December 2025

One of Us by Elizabeth Day

One of Us: The new and compulsive Sunday Times bestselling novel from Pin Drop Co-founder Elizabeth Day

In this compulsive story of betrayal, old bonds and buried scandals, one British establishment family comes face to face with the consequences of privilege and the true cost of power.

Martin and Ben were friends for decades — best friends, Martin would have said — before the terrible events at Ben’s 40th birthday party tore them apart. So when Martin receives a surprise invitation back into the inner sanctum of the dazzling Fitzmaurice family after seven years of silence, he can’t resist the chance to get his revenge.

Ben has risen through the ranks of power, and is now touted as the next Prime Minister. But Martin can’t help but notice certain flies in the ointment… Ben’s wife, Serena, for instance, whose privileged existence is beginning to feel like a gilded cage. Or their daughter, Cosima, an environmental activist fighting against everything her parents once stood for. Or the disgraced MP Richard Take, determined to make his big comeback. And then there’s Fliss, the Fitzmaurice black sheep, whose untimely death sparks more suspicion than closure. Through their intertwined stories, we see a family – and a nation – unravelling under the weight of its secrets.

With everyone watching, the stage is set for a reckoning. It’s time for Martin and Ben to confront what love truly means when everything—family, power, and loyalty—is on the line.

‘Intelligent, darkly humorous and brilliantly written’ STANLEY TUCCI

‘This is Elizabeth Day’s writing at its finest’ DOLLY ALDERTON

‘A tantalising portrait of privilege and power’ THE TIMES

‘Speaks truth to power in such an entertaining, gripping way’ MARIAN KEYES

‘This timely story about the abuse of power is one of those books you just want to inhale in one go’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

‘Gorgeously written, utterly compelling, and full of characters you will love and hate – and also love to hate’ SARA COLLINS

‘The thinking person’s thriller. Part Highsmith, part Waugh … A superbly gripping plot’ LUCY FOLEY

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25 September 2023

FRIENDAHOLIC: CONFESSIONS OF A FRIENDSHIP ADDICT
By Elizabeth Day

Congratulations to Pindrop Co-founder on the publication of Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict.

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BEST SELLING AUTHOR OF HOW TO FAIL 

‘Bravely revealing.’ Bernardine Evaristo

‘Funny, moving, helpful and true, Friendaholic deserves a massive audience.’ Sathnam Sanghera

‘This book is brilliant.’ Jo Elvin

‘Essential reading… admirably candid and well-crafted’ The Guardian

As a society, there is a tendency to elevate romantic love. But what about friendships? Aren’t they just as – if not more – important? So why is it hard to find the right words to express what these uniquely complex bonds mean to us? In Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict, Elizabeth Day embarks on a journey to answer these questions.

Growing up, Elizabeth wanted to make everyone like her. Lacking friends at school, she grew up to believe that quantity equalled quality. Having lots of friends meant you were loved, popular and safe. She was determined to become a Good Friend. And, in many ways, she did. But in adulthood she slowly realised that it was often to the detriment of her own boundaries and mental health.

Then, when a global pandemic hit in 2020, she was one of many who were forced to reassess what friendship really meant to them – with the crisis came a dawning realisation: her truest friends were not always the ones she had been spending most time with. Why was this? Could she rebalance it? Was there such thing as…too many friends? And was she really the friend she thought she was?

Friendaholic unpacks the significance and evolution of friendship. From exploring her own personal friendships and the distinct importance of each of them in her life, to the unique and powerful insights of others across the globe, Elizabeth asks why there isn’t yet a language that can express its crucial influence on our world.

From ghosting and frenemies to social media and seismic life events, Elizabeth leaves no stone unturned. Friendaholic is the book you buy for the people you love but it’s also the book you read to become a better friend to yourself.

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13 November 2020

The Queen’s Gambit Starring Jacob Fortune-Lloyd

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Congratulations to Jacob Fortune-Lloyd on his starring ⭐️ role in The Queens Gambit playing D. L. Townes alongside the wonderful @anyataylorjoy in this brilliant new series from @netflix queen 👸♟ . Jacob is part of the Pindrop family and has performed for us many times, pictured here reading from @ashortaffairbook, performing at Makers House by @burberry and @thenedlondon for @artnightldn. We love you @4tunelloyd and we love the show! ❤️

You can listen to Jacob reading #Civilisation by #WillSelf from A Short Affair in our Pindrop Podcast.

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10 October 2020

WATERSTONES IGTV TAKEOVER

Thank you Waterstones for inviting our co-founder Simon Oldfield to host a brilliant IGTV event with Russell Tovey who read his debut short story “The Kiss” from A Short Affair.  We talked about writing, art, queer culture and much more! Jump over to Waterstones to watch the full IGTV.

You can watch the full IGTV video here.

Thank you Waterstones and thanks to all the contributors to A Short Affair, you’re all amazing! A Short Affair is available at Waterstones and everywhere else!

@russelltovey |@SimonOldfield | @waterstones | @ashortaffair

 

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04 September 2020

We are thrilled to announce the publication of the paperback of A Short Affair with new stories, new illustrations and a stunning new cover.

This vibrant collection brings together twenty original short stories by giants of the form alongside exciting new voices.  The paperback edition also includes two original stories by actor, podcaster and writer Russell Tovey, and Booker nominee Sophie Ward.

As curator and editor of A Short Affair, Simon Oldfield combines the best in short fiction and contemporary art with remarkable illustrations by Tracey Emin and other artists from the Royal Academy of Arts.

Writers: Russell Tovey, Elizabeth Day, Bethan Roberts, Nikesh Shukla, Claire Fuller, Ben Okri, Anne O’Brien, A. L. Kennedy, Anna Stewart, Craig Burnett, Douglas W. Milliken, Will Self, Jarred McGinnis, Barney Walsh, Rebecca F. John, Joanna Campbell, Emily Bullock, Cherise Saywell, Lionel Shriver and Sophie Ward.

Artists: Tracey Emin, Eddie Peake, Kay Harwood, Gabriella Boyd, Jonathan Trayte, Luey Graves, Marco Palmieri, John Robertson, Coco Crampton, Fani Parali, Murray O’Grady, Pio Abad, Declan Jenkins, Mary Ramsden, Carla Busuttil, Jessy Jetpacks, Nick Goss, Tim Ellis, Adam Shield and Humphrey Ocean.

Order your copy now here or from wherever you buy your books:

Waterstones | Foyles | Amazon

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05 September 2019

The Guardian | Tate Liverpool

Pin Drop Studio went to Tate Liverpool during the Keith Haring exhibition with Russell Tovey as part of UK book tour for A Short Affair.  We love Liverpool, love the Tate, love the exhibition and love The Guardian for this little piece.  Read more here.

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04 April 2019

How To Fail by Elizabeth Day

Congratulations to our co-founder, Elizabeth Day, on the publication of her latest book, Magpie. Join the throng and get your copy here.

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03 April 2019

A Short Affair, Pindrop’s debut anthology of original short fiction is now out in hardback.

This vibrant collection brings together twenty original short stories by giants of the form alongside exciting new voices.

Simon Oldfield, curator and editor, combines the best in contemporary short fiction with remarkable illustrations by artists from the Royal Academy of Arts.

Writers: Elizabeth Day, Bethan Roberts, Nikesh Shukla, Claire Fuller, Ben Okri, Anne O’Brien, A. L. Kennedy, Anna Stewart, Craig Burnett, Douglas W. Milliken, Will Self, Jarred McGinnis, Barney Walsh, Rebecca F. John, Joanna Campbell, Emily Bullock, Cherise Saywell and Lionel Shriver .

Artists: Eddie Peake, Kay Harwood, Gabriella Boyd, Jonathan Trayte, Luey Graves, Marco Palmieri, John Robertson, Coco Crampton, Fani Parali, Murray O’Grady, Pio Abad, Declan Jenkins, Mary Ramsden, Carla Busuttil, Jessy Jetpacks, Nick Goss, Tim Ellis, Adam Shield.

Order your copy here or from wherever you buy your books:

Waterstones | Foyles | Amazon

 

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30 October 2018

A Short Affair in The Art Newspaper

Louisa Buck writing in The Art Newspaper about Eddie Peake, Pin Drop and A Short Affair.

Read more here.

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27 September 2018

Monocle Magazine | Simon Oldfield in the Summer Weekly

Get shorty! In the latest issue of The Summer Weekly from Monocle Magazine, Simon Oldfield – Pin Drop Studio Founder and Editor of A Short Affair – has written a piece about the rise of short stories and why they’re perfect for the modern reader. Pictured here in Los Angeles at Lautner’s iconic Garcia House on Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles.

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09 August 2018

RED MAGAZINE

 

Excited to see A Short Affair in the September issue of Red Magazine, featured in ‘This month’s best books’ by Sarra Manning with an extract from On Heat, Elizabeth Day’s new story in the book| Get your copy here: pindropstudio.com

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A SHORT AFFAIR | Out Now

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“He pulls up his t-shirt to reveal wrinkly flesh, saggy in unexpected places. And then, because there’s no one around, he lifts the waistband of his jogging bottoms and checks his penis. It lies there, limp and curled, conveying defeat. A smattering of grey in his public hair.” Extract from ‘On Heat by Elizabeth Day.

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25 July 2018

Monocle 24 Radio with Robert Bound featuring Simon Oldfield, Ben Okri & Jessy Jetpacks

Robert Bound invited us into their London studio at Monocle 24 Radio to talk about A Short Affair, Pin Drop’s first anthology of original short fiction.  Simon Oldfield was joined by Booker Prize-winning author, Ben Okri and artist Jessy Jetpacks to discuss Pin Drop and their contributions to the A Short Affair.

You can listen to it here.

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25 July 2018

RED MAGAZINE
10 best books to read this July

Thank you Red Magazine for selecting A Short Affair for your pick of the 10 best books this July! Sarra Manning says:

‘As we’re deep into holiday season, I always think that a good short story collection is essential to dip in out and out of in between dipping in and out of the nearest expanse of water! And A Short Affair is one of the best anthologies of short stories you’ll find this year. Contributors include Elizabeth Day, Will Self and A.L.Kennedy among others but the stand out for me was A Quiet Tidy Man by Claire Fuller.’

Read the article here.

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12 July 2018

Sophie Ward wins the RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award 2018

Congratulations to Sophie Ward, winner of the RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award 2018 for her story, Sunbed. 

The award was presented by Gwendoline Christie at a special ceremony at the Royal Academy of Arts, followed by a spellbinding reading of the winning story. 

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Gwendoline Christie performing at the RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award 2018
Gwendoline Christie performing at the RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award 2018

Photography by Owen Richards/Copyright @ Pin Drop Studio
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22 February 2018

Pin Drop Women
On the cover of a magazine…

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Sunday’s magazine were dominated by the incredible women we have the privilege of working with at Pin Drop.  Elizabeth Day interviewed Kylie Minogue for cover interview of The Sunday Times Magazine.  And across at the Observer, Pin Drop star, Selma Blair, was featured on the cover of the magazine and interviewed here.

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16 January 2018

Monocle 24 Radio Podcast
Featuring Elizabeth Day on Pin Drop & A Short Affair

Robert Bound, Chris Power and Pin Drop’s Elizabeth Day, celebrate the joys of the short story and our forthcoming anthology of original short fiction, A Short Affair.  Listen to their discussion on why these lithe texts are worth more than just their word count and don’t play second fiddle to the novel.

Listen to the Monocle podcast here.

Read more

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07 October 2017

Pin Drop + Burberry + Creative Review

Pin Drop’s live performance series, Portrayal for Burberry, which took place during Here We Are at Old Sessions House, featured here in Creative Review.  Starring Ben Okri, Russell Tovey, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and Tuppence Middleton.

Here We Are: Burberry show explores “the British way of life”

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13 September 2017

Portrayal for Burberry

Portrayal for Burberry; featured a series of live performances by Pin Drop Studio with Russell Tovey, Tuppence Middleton, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and Ben Okri.

The programme, curated by Simon Oldfield​ for Burberry, featured literature specially selected in response to the inspirations behind Burberry’s September 2017 collection and the accompanying exhibition, Here We Are.

Award-winning British actor, Russell Tovey, opened the series on Monday 18th September with a series of readings.

Full performance schedule:

+ Russell Tovey:  Monday, 18th September

+ Nathan Stewart-Jarrett: Thursday, 21st September

+ Ben Okri: Wednesday 27th September

+ Tuppence Middleton: Saturday 30th September

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Press: featured in Creative Review here.
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24 June 2017

Cherise Saywell announced as Winner of the RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award 2017

Dame Penelope Wilton, announced Cherise Saywell as the winner of the RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award 2017 for her exceptional story, Morelia Spilota. The presentation was followed by a live narration of Morelia Spilota by Dame Penelope Wilton, which will be released as a podcast soon.

‘‘The quality of writing and the ambition of the writers seems to get stronger each year. It was a pleasure and a privilege to judge the prize and to encounter this year’s short-list.’

– Tim Marlow, Artistic Director, Royal Academy of Arts

‘It was a privilege to judge this year’s RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award and select the winning story from such a strong shortlist.  Cherise Saywell is a worthy winner for her superb story, ‘Morelia Spilota’, which is written with great confidence and verve.  It is a brilliant short story.’

– Simon Oldfield, Founder, Pin Drop

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‘Cherise’s story is a superb example of the short form: elegant, lyrical and with a quiet, restrained power. It is written with such surety of tone and pace that reading it, you feel at once you are in the hands of a master storyteller.’

– Elizabeth Day, Founder, Pin Drop


The RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award 2017 is supported by Audible.

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18 May 2017

Longlist Announced for the RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award 2017

We are delighted to announce the longlist for this year’s RA & Pin Drop Short Story Award – an award in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Arts.

Dame Penelope Wilton, the award-winning actress who has enjoyed an extensive career starring in numerous films and television productions including Calendar Girls, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Downton Abbey, will announce and narrate this year’s winning story on 23rd June at a special awards ceremony at the RA.  The award is judged by Pin Drop Co-founders Elizabeth Day and Simon Oldfield, and the RA’s Director of Artistic Programmes, Tim Marlow.

Simon Oldfield commented:

“This year, we have received an unprecedented number of entries from across the globe and the quality has been extraordinary. Pin Drop champions superb short fiction and we’re delighted to see both established and emerging writers on the longlist, with stories that capture unique voices and new writing with confidence and verve.”

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Longlist

Adrian Todd Zuniga, Lincoln Wimbley Writes a Story at 37,000 Feet

Anna Stewart, The Way I Breathed

Anne O’Brien, These Silver Fish

Anthony McGuinness, Fair Exchange is No Robbery

Antonia Honeywell, Dora Maar and the Secret Tree

Arthur Allan, Before the Curtain

Carol Farrelly, Emergency

Cathy Thomas, Pigs

Catriona Ward, Lula-Belle

Cherise Saywell, Morelia Spilota

Ciarán Collins, Angela

Craig Burnett, Feathers Thick with Oil

Douglas W. Milliken, Heart’s Last Pass

Emily Bullock, Freshwater

Hanna Ali, Bloated

Hannah Persaud, Dress Rehearsal

Harry Godfrey, Lobster Man

Honoria Beirne, Rafferty

Jarred McGinnis, Rough Beasts

Joanna Campbell, Brad’s Rooster Food

Jude Cook, Being Here

Juno Baker, The Rules of the Game

KM Elkes, Shoreham Street

Melanie Whipman, Undine

Philippa Holloway, Like a Message

Rachel Stevenson, English Beach

Rebecca F. John, Paper Chains

Ruth Brandt, Going West

Sarah Evans, My Mother’s Story

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Supported by Audible.

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13 April 2017

Pin Drop with Lionel Shriver featured in House Seven Magazine

Lionel Shriver, who returns to Pin Drop on 18th April, is featured in this month’s issue of House Seven, the magazine from Soho House.  More information here.

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