Dickie's wife Imelda (whose story is told in a stream of consciousness format with the absence of any punctuation) reluctantly sells the family's possessions online to try to ease their financial burdens.

At the start of the book, he deals with a bully who is upset because he believes his mother was ripped off by the family's business and spends much of his time in the woods, with his friend Nev, to escape the atmosphere home.

[4] On the November/December 2023 issue of Bookmarks, the book received 4.0 out of 5 stars, with the critical summary saying, "The Bee Sting may be a major undertaking that rewards time and patience, but, as the Washington Post concludes, it "reads like an instant classic".

[5] Writing for The Guardian, Justine Jordan stated: "This is a sprawling, capacious novel, but expertly foreshadowed and so intricately put together that many throwaway moments only take on resonance on a second reading."

The review further stated: "The agility with which Murray structures the narrative around the family at its heart is virtuosic and sure-footed, evidence of a writer at the height of his power deftly shifting perspectives, style and syntax to maximize emotional impact.