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This is one of the most eagerly anticipated events on our programme – and one of the most coveted spots for authors. Val McDermid‘s choice of the year’s best debuts has provided a platform for some outstanding talents, and the class of ’23 is no exception. Queenie is the strong matronly figure even though she is not the eldest of the three. She’s calm and pragmatic with a survive at all costs attitude which gives her a hard carapace to face the world. Her business dealings include criminal activities but there’s some goodness at heart as she cares for those close to her. A tough woman doing what she needs to survive in a hard man’s world.
Needless Alley | Natalie Marlow | 9781399801799 | NetGalley Needless Alley | Natalie Marlow | 9781399801799 | NetGalley
It starts with William a P.I. setting up rather sordid encounters with women so he can provide photographic evidence of infidelity for husbands who wish to divorce their wives but then turns into something much darker; pornography, BDSM, drug dealing, murder. If you do nothing, you will be auto-enrolled in our premium digital monthly subscription plan and retain complete access for 65 € per month. He is approached by a wealthy, Fascist businessman to find out if his wife is unfaithful, and a series of events comes into play that will change everything for them all. The story involves love - of a man, a woman, a child - and revenge. You may also opt to downgrade to Standard Digital, a robust journalistic offering that fulfils many user’s needs. Compare Standard and Premium Digital here.William finds himself a refuge from all this for a while, an unexpected refuge, but in doing so he brings more trouble on himself than he could have imagined. When reputations are threatened, his hard-won status will count for little except to identify him as someone who do However, William's life changes when he accidentally meets the beautiful Clara Morton and falls in love. Little does he know she is the wife of a client - a leading fascist with a dangerous obsession. And what should have been another straightforward job turns into something far more deadly. Needless Alley makes for a gripping read that any Peaky Blinder fan is sure to love’ Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of Pandora I love how we get to see many facets of the characters such as with main character,William. He comes across as a detective with a heart who is willing to do what it takes to get an answer and justice. Marlow beautifully distils 1930s Birmingham into a seamy world of moral corruption: anyone can fall and few are left clean. Gripping, confident and atmospheric.' Kate Mascarenhas, author of Hokey Pokey
Natalie Marlow (Author of Needless Alley) - Goodreads
What a fabulous story! While at heart a detective novel, it is also in many ways a story of love in its myriad forms. The one that caught my imagination was Phyll, who William at first believes is a young boy. He later discovers that she is a bright intelligent young woman with a penchant for men’s clothing and an eye for good tailoring. Another survivor and a bit of a fish out of water with the norms of the day. The book is written in two parts, almost like a before and after a key event occurs. Each chapter, where necessary, has a location and date at the beginning so it’s very clear where it’s taking place. I always like these descriptions as it really helps to solidify location and differentiate between places in my mind and in the story. I found it gripping, well plotted, and original. The author is a good storyteller and deliver a solid plot. What a great story! I could not predict how this was going to end......the story twisted and turned to an incredible finale that I did not see coming! Absolutely brilliant!
Advance Praise
A powerful, gritty and extremely well written story. I began expecting a detective story - William Garrett is a man damaged by the First World War, who sets himself up as a private eye, working with his avant garde friend Ronnie. Billy specialises in setting up entrapments for straying wives - Ronnie takes them to a hotel room, and Billy bursts in to get photographic evidence. Well this is good! A very immersive read set in 1930s Birmingham. An investigator who photographs people having affairs for their partners in divorce cases. He is asked to look into one women but when he meets her, he takes a liking to her. Well, that's where the trouble starts .... William’s life changes when he meets the beautiful Clara Morton and falls in love. Little does he know she is the wife of a client – a leading fascist with a dangerous obsession. Soon, what should have been another straightforward job turns into something far more deadly. Needless Alley is a noir thriller set in 1930s Birmingham, with a private eye investigating the seedy underworld around the canals and dodgy photographic studios of England’s second city. I really enjoyed this book as it was something quite different from my usual Golden Age murder mysteries, but set in the same time period. This quite far from the classic historical mystery set in UK as it's the love child of Cornel Woolrich and Dashiel Hammett even if it's set in Birmingham in 1933
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