Florrie is part of a gang, shoplifting is the family business, and her mother Ruby, 'queen' of the all-female gang, is coming out of prison. But Florrie has met Ted and hopes for a different life .... Set in London in 1952, this entertaining book conjures up a world of family loyalties and conflict set against a backdrop of post war austerity, bomb sites and dense fog.
When Ruby went away, two years ago, clothes were only just off the ration and most of the women in England were competing to see how dutiful and drab they could make themselves. Today Florrie saw it all through her mum's eyes, the new and extravagant availability of good cloth, the full skirts and thick coats. She wants to get home, spread her haul out on the bed, and imagine Ruby's face when she sees it.
