The Half Moon has been rockin’ and rollin’ since the early ’60’s, cementing our reputation as one of London’s best live music venues. By the time we meet them, it doesn't appear these dreams are being met in the ways originally planned - Malcolm is deeply in debt - and Jess is grieving her dream of ever being a Mom.

The Half Moon: A Novel: Keane, Mary Beth: 9781982172602

There was something about that book that felt incomplete about the town and the community,” she explains.There aren't enough real-life stories about marriages, so I do appreciate Keane's choice to make this a central plot point. With all that success, it was a no-brainer that Keane would soon begin work on her next novel, one that hopefully would be just as strong and well received as its predecessor. Told in dual timelines, THE HALF MOON is a character-driven story that follows Malcolm and Jess through their struggles with infertility, infidelity, and their fledgling ownership of the HALF MOON bar. I think a lot of times, even between partners, it gets very difficult to talk about because after a long time, it seems inevitable that one person is sort of committed,” explains Keane. A quick and impactful read that will stay with you long after you finish it” ( theSkimm), The Half Moon takes place over the course of one week when Malcolm learns shocking news about Jess, a patron of the bar goes missing, and a blizzard hits the town of Gillam, trapping everyone in place.

The Half Moon: A Novel: Keane, Mary Beth: 9798885783675 The Half Moon: A Novel: Keane, Mary Beth: 9798885783675

While the events of Ask Again, Yes spans 40 years, The Half Moon focuses on a week or so in the Gephardts’ lives, exploring how events of the past have led to their discontent and an ultimate reckoning. A strong character-driven novel, there is no propulsive plot to keep you flipping the pages quickly. The couple’s history is capably delivered in nonsequential descriptions and flashbacks from both perspectives. The disappearance of one of the bar’s patrons during the storm, lends a sense of urgency to the plot and adds a layer of impending doom that plays out in both emotional and physical terms.The Half Moon has been rolling with the good times at Putney Bridge on the banks of the Thames for decades.

For Mary Beth Keane, the Pressure to Follow Up Her Best

He has years of ideas he’s collected to make it attractive to a broader clientele, and therefore more prosperous.

With their mounting debt looming over them and their unsuccessful attempts at parenthood a long standing resentment has begun to fracture the pair. We also have his wife Jess, who is a lawyer… Her and Malcom have been trying for many years to have a child. At the time that Jess would have graduated, PAYE and REPAYE, the modern day income based repayment plans would not have existed. LIVE MUSIC The Half Moon may look like just a great local pub a first glance, but step inside and you'll also find our iconic music venue.

The Half Moon - Mary Beth Keane

Malcolm Gephardt, is a bartender at one of those bars where it seems everyone there knows the lives of each other inside and out. Read our interview with Mary Beth Keane: “Every bartender in my family already thinks this book is about them. The book goes back and forth throughout Malcolm and Jess's marriage, so you get the full depth of what happened and how their marriage fell apart. In this story I felt as if I personally knew our two main characters, Malcom and Jessica- but the story just kind of went nowhere for me. I will say that the writing was flawless and compelling, but “The Half Moon” just didn’t grab me like I thought it would.Was it just his imagination or did the light spilling onto the street give the whole façade a faint glow? Married herself for 25 years (she and her husband have two sons), Keane has long been fascinated with the subject. What I did like was the dissection of their marriage from both of their perspectives, as well as their thoughts about both of their good and bad choices. Since the early 60's The Half Moon has been earning the respect of London's gig-goers, putting on unforgettable live shows in Putney every night of the week!