An appealingly poignant story of family and lost innocence, simply yet artfully told. The opening chapter is unpretentiously descriptive, yet in a few paragraphs the author paints the four streets and its inhabitants so that they resonate vibrantly in your mind. The characters are so colourful and very real, you believe in their support, their sadness, their joy, their shame, their love. From the energetic tots through to the worldly wise Grandmother, you feel these people are known, are cared about, are loved by the author. Dorries highlights two different families, money poor, support rich; at times slightly disconnected and disjointed, at others a well needed pillar of support and strength in the community. The author handles the unthinkable abhorrence that lurks and skulks through the story with composure and consideration; the tragedy that visits is heart rending and painful to read. One simple question remains, how far would you go to protect those you love?
1950s Liverpool. In the tight-knit Irish Catholic community of the Four Streets, two girls are growing up. One is motherless – and hated by the cold woman who is determined to take her dead mother's place. The other is hiding a dreadful secret which she dare not let slip to anyone, lest it rips the heart out of the community. What can the people of the Four Streets do when a betrayal at the very heart of their world comes to light?
