The Orchard on Fire

Sheena Mackay

A couple go off to Kent to run a tearoom and this is a story about their daughter and her friend's childhood and growing up. There is a creepy adult who invites the children to tea, but it is not quite the usual story of child abuse. It's well written.
Caroline 28/7/02

This was shortlisted for the '96 Booker prize deservedly. The story is about growing up in a Kent village in the 1950s. It starts in a seedy part of London - this bit is a bit grim - and then moves to a tea room in Kent. The issues are explored quite well from a child's point of view.

Bob had also enjoyed this book - it was grim in parts, but not gratuitous.
Gill 25/8/02

A similar idea to Five Boys but much better constructed, a proper novel, in other words. Blurb alludes to "joy" but in fact the book is deeply disturbing. Ruby is beaten and April is preyed upon by a paedophile - Doreen got very anxious about the two girls. Very good.
Doreen 29/9/02

This was written as a novel but Andrew suspects it is a memoir. The story involves a child, April, whose family move from their London pub to a village café in Kent in the 50s. There she meets a friend at school, Ruby. The story just avoids being twee owing to the presence of an elderly child-molester who April thinks may be killing his wife and the possibility that Ruby is being abused by her parents. Pretty good.
Andrew 21/12/03

By the same author

A Bowl of Cherries

The frames have gone all funny - click to make it good.