Magic realism comes to middle England in this brilliantly original little book, with suburban Luton supplying the unlikely setting for a battle of wills between a teenage boy and the forces of fate.”
— Marie Claire
Extraordinary and original. This disturbing, blackly comic, sophisticated meditation on death, madness and sexuality is powerful and haunting”
— Sunday Times book of the week
Extraordinary”
— Observer
Intelligent, ironic and darkly funny”
— Time Out
Awards
I just love the book just in case and i always will.
So glad to hear that, Lola. Thanks for letting me know. x
I’ve never read such an astonishing book – it always keeps me thinking what is really happening there. Every time I get through the story there is a new interpretation and solution at the end.
Thank you for that!
Thank you, Petra and Victoria…always so nice when someone bothers to report back….
Meg,I really like your books,they are the best! I’m reading “Just In Case” now and I just can’t keep my eyes of the book!
hey, the boy on the cover of Just In Case… where did u find him? is that how Justin/David is supposed to look? i really want to know!
Hi Alexis — Which cover are you talking about? The white hardback American cover or the new UK cover?
Hey Meg!
I just finished reading this book- and I loved it! It got me through my two day fever, so thank you for that
hopefully Dorothea fallls in love with who I want her to. I dont think I should ask you, because you may not know and the characters have their own minds. But if you do know, do share.
xxx
hello meg,
i really love your book, just in case and i thought the whole idea of the book was just amazing.
I was wondering though, did you first create the title of the book and then write the story around the idea of just in case to justin case or did the idea for the title come to you after you had already come up with the idea of the story?
x
Hi Tessie
The book had the working title of ‘Chance’, and the main character was David Chase. He turned into David Case, who became Justin Case, and then I knew I had a title.
Thanks for writing.
xMeg
Thank you so much for replying, you’re my absolute favourite author.
x
Hi Meg!
I’m a 17 year old girl from Sweden, and I stumbled upon Just in Case in the library a week ago and as soon as I had read the two first lines I was stuck! The book is so amazing, even though I have already finished it I just can’t let go of it! I carry it with me everywhere! Thank you so much for writing that wonderful book that has become my favourite!
Thank YOU, Linnea, so happy to hear you liked it.
Hi Meg,
How wonderful that you keep an online journal. You have such a lovely writing style and one that I am hungry for more of. I picked up Just in Case in a charity shop last weekend, started reading it last night and finished it this morning, it was wonderfully fast paced and amusing and insightful and thank you 
I look forward to reading your other books, especially the one you haven’t written yet 
Ellie 
I just googled your name looking for other titles that you had blessed your readers with and found your site
whos the boy on the cover? :O
Sorry, no idea.
Hello from Italy. They have just published “Justin”, and I was attracted by cover and plot.
I’m still reading the book, but it won’t take so much time to finish cuz I really like it.
As I’d like to read it also in English, how can I get a signed copy?
Ciao,
Fabio
Hello Meg.
I’m absoulutly loving the book Just in Case. I have even decided to do it as my book seminar.
I love your choice of characters (Justin, Agnes, Peter, Boy and Charlie).
Thank-you for a fabulous read.
Kaity Lin.
Thanks for writing, Kaity Lin. I’m really glad you’re enjoying it. I don’t think it’s a particularly easy book — I think you have to kind of ‘click’ in to it.
So I’m so glad you have!
xmeg
Hello,
I am doing my coursework on One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and have found that this book (which I really enjoyed by the way, Thank You) has many links with it. For example the depiction of paranoia similar to Chief Bromden’s and the time when he thinks he is a rabbit like Harding’s metaphor for the patients. I was just wondering if this was at all intentional as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest also has links with The Hollow Men which you directly quoted? But if you didn’t and this is all completely incomprehensible to you please don’t worry about it, it just made me really excited!
Thank you so much,
Alice
P.S. Charlie also reminded me of Blake’s Songs of Innocence, just thought you might like to know…
Hi Alice. I thought of a lot of books while I was writing Just In Case, but Cuckoo’s Nest wasn’t one of them….I don’t think I’ve ever read the book, though I saw the wonderful Jack Nicholson film a thousand years ago when it came out. The Hollow Men and Eliot is a different story, I studied Eliot at university and his words are always in my head. I wrote a lot of my next book (What I Was) with Prufrock in mind. I haven’t thought about Blake as much recently, but I can see what you mean about Charlie. I guess if you read a lot of literature, it comes together in your head and finds its way into your writing by osmosis. Thanks so much for your note. Very interesting, and food for thought on my part, too. xxxMeg
hello there! i just wanted to let you know that Just In Case is my favorite book of all time. i think it would make an OUTSTANDING movie and i really wish someone would get on the project of making one.
– Jordan
Thank you so much, Jordan. I love the fact that Just In Case seems to hit certain people quite hard. I’d love to get all the Just In Case fans together, and see if we all end up friends. I think we would, much more than, say, the How I Live Now fans! Thanks so much for writing….and though I haven’t heard of a film yet (it would be kind of tricky I think, with the invisible dog, etc.) I have seen a few theatrical performances of it which have been fantastic. xxxMeg
Meg, that’s a fantastic idea — I totally agree we would all be great friends. That’s true about Boy… but I would love to see a theatrical performance of it! That’s amazing.
Hey Meg!
I’m currently reading your fantastic novel “Just in Case”. I’ve already read your other book, “How I Live Now” and both of them are thoroughly breath-taking and amazing!
I own the blue cover of “Just in Case”. I think it’s really pretty.
Thanks for being an amazing author, Meg.
-Nadine.
x
Thanks for writing such nice feedback, Nadine. I really appreciate it, and am so glad you like the books! xxxMeg
Hi meg! Your my favourite author by far and just in case is just stunning! It was total and utter genious so thank you! I have also read how in live now and what I was. Both fantastic. I love how I get the feel I’m almost going along with the characters in their adventure. I love your unique witty writing style! Good luck writing more books!
Hollie – 13
Ps. How do you think of these cleaver and extremely amazing stories !!??
Hi Hollie
What a nice note to start the day! I’m just finishing my new book now, it’s called There Is No Dog and it’s been SO hard to write. I hope it’s come out OK — you’ll have to let me know. xMeg
Hey i was wondering who the boy was on the hardcover book was…who is he??
I have no idea, Kailey, sorry. A stock photo I think.
Hello,
Just to say, the first time I read this book, I literally took it everywhere, the stables, school, on holiday…..Oh but not the swimming pool, I didn’t really want to get it wet!
I read it again, and again, then the library got annoyed so I went and bought the green hardback version!
Love From
Natasha-12
[...] Just in Case megrosoff.co.uk [...]
Hi Meg!
At the moment I’m reading your fantastic novel “Just in Case”. I’ve already read another book, “Brides Farewell” and I want to mention that both of them are well-written and are absolutely breath-taking and fantastic!
I would like you to live enough long to become a world-famous, Meg.
Leo
Thanks, Leo! Hope you become a world-famous author too….
Oh, I am not talented at all though I tried to write something, even in English.
Leo
hi meg!
I absolutley LOVE your books!!!they blow me away!;)
Do you have any writing tips?!!!
x
Hi Kit or Kat or KitKat….
So glad you like my books. Have a look at this for writing tips: http://www.megrosoff.co.uk/2010/11/03/ok-no-more-leading-you-round-the-garden-path-or-beating-around-the-proverbial-bush/
xMeg
thank you!!!:)
Hi Meg,
Just wanted to say in my class we spilt into groups to read a book from a list our teacher gave us. My group chose Just In Case and loved it! It wasn’t our usual genre but it was soooo good! We are in year 8 and are now doing a presentation.
Hi,
2 days ago, I was on a cheap goods market, and I saw the book (in Dutch, the title is: ‘Het Toevallige Leven Van Justin Case’). I didn’t knew it, and I bought it for €1. I read the book on the train in one time, it a splendid book and it gave me a strange feeling when I got off the train and I tried to replace myself from the world of Justin to my own life again.
Maybe I’m a little old for the book, but the story is beautiful, and reminds me to the time when I was 15.
W – 20, Belgium
I’m glad you found it. And 20 isn’t too old….about half my readers are adults!
I’m sad to say that it took me 17 years of my life to discover you!!!
I just finished HOW I LIVE NOW and I am stunned. Your writing is powerful and fresh and I am absolutely in love with this book! I cannot WAIT to get a hold of all your books!! I wish you even more success in all that you do!
Yay! Thank you Priya. x