Tilly’s Story
In 1920, Tilly Moran is almost seventeen and has already given her heart to heroic photo-journalist, Don Pierce, now on a foreign assignment. She arrives in Liverpool to be reunited with family and many old friends but, most importantly, she can now be close to her father whose sanity has been badly damaged by lead poisoning. Tilly is warm-hearted and attractive. Her new employer, private investigator Grant Simpson, plainly admires her, while enigmatic Laurence Parker is an exciting but sometimes perplexing companion. She is deeply affected by the poverty and hunger caused by widespread unemployment and eagerly becomes involved in vigorous and practical charity. But Tilly is also young and longing for pleasure. The accounts of shocking new fashions, dancing and entertainment are a delight.
Tilly’s Story has a large cast of characters and an enormous amount of back-story to be absorbed as all the strands in this saga are brought together, with joy for some and grief for others. But when a climax of frightful double tragedy occurs, I felt those involved were a bit too restrained and unemotional. The actions of the stoical, courageous Liverpudlians are accurately conveyed – this is how they would behave. But a reader does need to share their innermost feelings.
It is a pleasure to read such a well-produced book, nice to handle and error-free.
