The Delicacy

By James Albon. Published by Top Shelf. 

Softcover, 320 pages, Colour, 2021.

Rare and delicious fungi spell trouble for an ambitious restaurateur in this sumptuously painted graphic novel from one of Scotland’s most imaginative young cartoonists.

Tulip and his brother Rowan have left the simple comforts of their remote Scottish island with a plan: to grow succulent, organic vegetables in an idyllic market garden, and to open a restaurant serving these wholesome culinary delights to the busy sprawl of London.

The world of fine dining seems impossibly competitive… until they discover a deliriously scrumptious new species of mushroom. The dish brings diners in droves, catapulting their small restaurant to success beyond their wildest dreams.

Now, pressured by the demands of a hungry city, Tulip is desperate to crack the secret of their new ingredient’s growth. But just how much will he sacrifice to feed his own insatiable ambition?

“I was absolutely floored by the twists and turns in James Albon’s storytelling, and his illustrations are absolutely beautiful. As a former truffle dealer and mushroom forager, I highly recommend The Delicacy for anyone who loves great comics, good food, and suspenseful stories!” — Helen Hollyman, Editor in Chief, Thrillist

James Albon is a British author and illustrator. His clients include the Folio Society, the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, Libération, Penguin Random House and WIRED. He studied illustration at Edinburgh College of Art, and went on to a postgraduate scholarship at the Royal Drawing School in London.

He was awarded the Gwen May Award from the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers in 2012, and has been a Laureate of the Rene Carcan Biennale in 2014 and 2020. His work has been widely exhibited in London, Paris, New York and Brussels, at venues including The Royal Academy, The Victoria & Albert Museum, The Museum of American Illustration, The Musée Belvue, and Christie’s.