Other authors: Patrick McGrath

This is part of my Other Authors series, where I share dissociated voices written by a number of different novelists.

Today I’m sharing my thoughts on Spider by Patrick McGrath.

It came as no surprise to me to discover Patrick McGrath grew up around people with severe mental illness. (His father was Medical Superintendent at Broadmoor Hospital.)

In Spider, McGrath inflicts a persecutory delusion upon his protagonist – called Spider – who no longer trusts his parents: “Hilda and my father wou...