Ellie lives in a very rough part of Boltby, an industrial town in the North West of England, and she often feels that she is the only sensible member of her family. Her mother is always on the tiles, her older brother is more absent than present, and her younger brother has Down's Syndrome: they all need looking after one way or another. But the bright spot in her life is the little antique writing desk that comes into her mother's 'Antique' Shop, which by its very existence encourages her to write. Unfortunately she has really got a lot to write about, what with drive-by racists haunting their street, BNP stickering, and Asian lads fed up with being victimised. As she becomes intrigued by the refugee story of her Jewish neighbour, who escaped from Germany after Kristallnacht, Ellie is herself unwittingly diarising the build up to race riots and widespread mayhem.

 

There are 192 pages in this book. This book was published 2004 by Andersen Press Ltd .

Richard MacSween has worked in various industries including forestry and construction, but now teaches English at a Further Education College. He has written poetry for several magazines, had a short story broadcast on BBC Radio 4, and one of his plays was performed at the Edinburgh Festival.