The Room of Lost Things has multiple narratives, although the central character, the one who holds the whole together, is Robert Sutton. Robert has run his dry cleaning business in Loughborough Junction like clockwork for more years than anyone can remember. Things need to change, however, Robert wants to make a new life for himself and that means handing over the business to somebody else. Akeel answers an advertisement and soon the process is in motion.

Slowly, the pair form an odd friendship. Curmudgeonly Robert shows Akeel the ropes, including his eponymous Room of Lost Things, a place stuffed with collections and boxes of objects left in pockets, secrets, lists and the ephemera of private lives, things that people have left behind and simply forgotten. But this is not just a story about other people, it's also about Robert, the things he chooses to share with Akeel, stories he's never shared with anyone else. Slowly, he begins to unfold, like a flower.

Duffy, the omnipotent narrator, weaves other stories through this main plot thread, including those of Helen, the Australian nanny, Marylin, the health visitor, Stefan, the ex-dancer and local wide boy Dean. These characters offer a fuller picture of Robert's world and through them the author builds up a layered and nuanced reflection of London.

The Room of Lost Things is a story about stories, secrets, people's hidden lives. It's also a book about a part of the city that is normally overlooked, or passed through, but which has history and stories of its own. It's a slow book, packed with detailed description. What makes it special and authentic is that it recognises London's multicultural reality and it's worth noting the author's tenaciousness in daring to write a novel featuring characters that are culturally different to her own background. This is a rare treat and demonstrates Duffy's versatility, hard fought for, one suspects, since lesbian writers often stick much closer to home.

If The Room of Lost Things was a song, it would doubtless be The Beatles' ‘Eleanor Rigby’. There is a melancholy and loneliness about this book, which is surprising because its author is anything but lonely or sad. There are fleeting sparks of warmth, Marylin, one of the supporting characters, for example, has a no-nonsense way about her and Robert and Akeel's friendship offers hope. Although Robert is determined to make a new life for himself, the crushing despondency of his past mistakes can make the book quite harrowing at times.

Read our interview with Stella Duffy where she talks about her latest book, Room Of Lost Things.

Read our reviews of Duffy's earlier novels Mouths of Babes, Singling Out The Couples and Fresh Flesh. Plus, look out for our thoughts on Room Of Lost Things next week!

The Room of Lost Things, by Stella Duffy
Published by: Virago Press Ltd
Released: 6 March 2008
ISBN: 1844082121

Invest in a national treasure and get The Room of Lost Things by Stella Duffy. Buy online and save some money to put towards her book State of Happiness.