The Whale Tattoo

Cruelly beautiful, utterly authentic – introducing a searingly talented new Queer writer. A novel for fans of 'A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing' by Eimear McBride, 'Peach' by Emma Glass and 'Box Hill' by Adam Mars-Jones.

When a giant sperm whale washes up on the local beach and tells Joe Gunner that death will follow him wherever he goes. Joe knows that the place he needs to go is home.

Having stormed out two years ago, it won't be easy. Nor will returning to the river alongside the house where words ripple beneath the muddy black water washing up all sorts of memories and disturbing prophecies.

Joe turns to his sister, Birdee, the only person who has ever listened and to Tim Fysh, a local fisherman and longtime lover - but reviving their bond leads to trouble.

Joe tells himself that the whale's predictions are wrong but the river is relentless. As the waters settle, Joe learns the truth and finds that all of us can hate, but we can make a choice not to.

Ransom's fractured, distinctive prose highlights the beauty and brutality of his story. His extraordinarily vivid sense of place saturates the reader with the wet of the river, and the salty tang of the heaving sea.

This novel contains adult themes, strong language, and some scenes that might be upsetting to listeners.

"'The Whale Tattoo' is a stunning achievement - one of the most impressive and assured debuts I've ever read" - Matt Cain

"A bold, brilliant and beautiful debut" - Susannah Dunn

"With assured narrative, a vivid sense of place and atmosphere, and flint-sharp dialogue, Jon Ransom has written a novel that is bleak and brutal, but never sentimental.. utterly authentic and cruelly beautiful" - Matt Bates

"Raw, uncompromising, and authentic, a remarkable debut from an astonishingly gifted writer" - Golnoosh Nour


"'The Whale Tattoo' is a stunning achievement - one of the most impressive and assured debuts I've ever read" - Matt Cain

"A bold, brilliant and beautiful debut" - Susannah Dunn

"With assured narrative, a vivid sense of place and atmosphere, and flint-sharp dialogue, Jon Ransom has written a novel that is bleak and brutal, but never sentimental.. utterly authentic and cruelly beautiful" - Matt Bates

"Raw, uncompromising, and authentic, a remarkable debut from an astonishingly gifted writer" - Golnoosh Nour



Self described as a working-class, Queer author, Jon Ransom began by writing stories on his phone. He was mentored by Anjali Joseph as part of the 2019 Escalator Talent Development scheme at the National Centre for Writing and his short stories have appeared in Foglifter Journal, SAND Journal and FIVE:2:ONE and Queer Life, Queer Love (Nov 21) amongst others.

In 2021 he was awarded a grant by Arts Council England to develop his creative practice. He cites Garth Greenwell, Sayaka Murata and Édouard Louis as some of his many influences.