Reminiscently capturing the warm and raw voices of Charlie Kelmeckis from The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Clay Jensen from Thirteen Reasons Why, I Had Such Friends is an important story about self-discovery, grief and finding your voice.

When Charlie Parker, the most popular boy in school, dies it affects everyone who knew him. Everyone, that is, except for Hamish Day, the boy with only one friend, who lives on a cabbage farm.

After the tragic car accident leaves his school in grief, Hamish finds himself pulled into the lives of the people left behind. He tries his best to thread them back together again, even though he is pretty sure he’s the least qualified person for the job. As new friendships chip away at his quiet façade, Hamish is forced to face the traumas of his own past, as well as the person he is becoming.

Set in rural Australia, I Had Such Friends is a powerful Australian YA debut that deals with the delicate themes of unrequited love, abuse, neglect, sexuality, bullying, prejudice, death and suicide.