Linda Drattell’s debut novel lands during National Book Month

Linda Drattell’s first adult novel, The Peccadilloes of Filamena Phipps, is set for release Oct. 15, 2026, from Stairwell Books. The satire uses magical realism to explore identity, conformity and belonging through the story of an immigrant woman who challenges her wealthy community and runs for mayor.

Why it matters: - The release gives Linda Drattell a new entry point into adult fiction after a career in poetry and children’s writing. - The novel arrives during National Book Month, adding a timely promotional window for readers looking for new releases. - The story centers on immigration, social exclusion and resistance to conformity, themes with broad cultural resonance.

What happened: - Linda Drattell’s full-length adult novel, The Peccadilloes of Filamena Phipps, is scheduled to publish Oct. 15, 2026, from Stairwell Books. - The book marks Drattell’s adult fiction debut. - Pre-orders are available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org and other online book retailers.

The details: - The novel is set in North Chelsea, an affluent neighborhood where Filamena Phipps, an immigrant woman, struggles to fit into a tightly managed social world. - Filamena becomes the target of exclusion and pressure to conform as neighbors view her as different and threatening. - After dismissing her unfaithful husband, Filamena runs for mayor and sets off a clash with the community’s power structure. - Her untamed garden grows alongside her political campaign and becomes a symbol of change. - The novel is told through the perspectives of Filamena, her chief antagonist Livia and the town’s incumbent mayor. - Stairwell Books describes the book as adult upmarket/literary fiction in the genres of magical realism and satire. - The paperback edition is 357 pages, measures 216mm x 139mm, and is priced at £14.00 / $20.00. - The ISBN is 978-1-917334-33-4, and the rights are listed as World English Language. - Early reader John G. Bluck, author of the Luke Ryder mystery-thriller series, called the novel funny and highly readable. - The book is expected to appeal to readers who enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Where’d You Go, Bernadette. - Drattell’s previous work includes the poetry collections Remember This Day and The Lighter Side of Horse Manure, plus the children’s book Who Wants to Be Friends With a Dragon?. - Drattell’s awards include recognition from Writer’s Digest, the Atlanta Review Poetry International Grand Prize, a Reader Views Bronze Award for Remember This Day and a Distinguished Favorite Award for Who Wants to Be Friends With a Dragon?.

Between the lines: - The novel uses humor and magical realism to frame a familiar social dynamic: what happens when a community tries to police belonging. - Filamena’s mayoral run raises the stakes beyond personal conflict and turns the story into a challenge to local power. - Positioning the book alongside popular contemporary novels suggests Stairwell Books is aiming at readers drawn to character-driven fiction with social satire.

What’s next: - The book’s Oct. 15 release will give readers a chance to buy the novel during National Book Month. - Drattell’s debut novel now becomes the next major step in a writing career built on poetry, prose and international experience.

The bottom line: - Linda Drattell is using her first adult novel to combine satire, magical realism and social commentary in a story built around outsider status and self-determination.