Finding Arthur Whittle

August 01, 2026

Five Star Review

Please join me in congratulating powerhouse author, Helen Aitchison, on her latest release, and five star read, Finding Arthur Whittle.

Release date: 31 July 2026

Blurb:

He thought he knew who he was. Then he read his mother's letter.

For fifty-two years, Harry has known exactly who he is and where he belongs. Then his mam dies, and the letter she leaves behind takes it all away.

The man who raised him, the dad he has loved his whole life, is not his biological father.

Grieving the mother he has lost and reeling from a secret she kept his entire life, Harry sets out to find the stranger whose blood he shares. He has a name. He has a city. He has no idea what he's walking into.

But the search gives him more than answers. Along the way Harry finds unexpected friendships, a little grace, and the beginnings of a question he never thought to ask: what really makes a family?

A warm, funny and deeply moving novel about grief, forgiveness, and discovering that family isn't only about blood.

Perfect for fans of Rachel Joyce and Graham Norton.

Helen Aitchison is the author of The Dinner Club and The 31 Days of May. She writes contemporary fiction with heart, humour and an unmistakable Northern voice.

My Review:

Helen Aitchison is one of my authors whose books I read unquestionably. She is that calibre of an author. Her books are deeply thought provoking, sensitively written and her characters are written straight into your heart.

Finding Arthur Whittle:

A letter. A secret. A stranger to find.

What I loved:

Harry MacBeth deals with his trauma by throwing himself into caring for a lovable stranger who soon becomes his best friend and protégée. These two form a dynamic backdrop to the story with their throw away comments bringing joy to each other yet with a deeper understanding as their plights evolve.

Why I would recommend this book:

Threaded in the background of the story we have Harry’s family struggling with their own coping mechanisms, and this is where the magic of Aitchison’s writing comes in. She shows conversationally, exactly what humankind needs in order to thrive. Her knowledge seeps into her characters actions, deepening the readers awareness. Just brilliant.

What I didn’t like about the book:

There is nothing I didn’t like except to say that the story took an upturn where I was ready to celebrate with Harry MacBeth, and then the plot twist happened. Such was my preoccupation with Harry’s disappointment that I distractedly ate my husband’s breakfast cereal by mistake!