Author Description

'Betty Burton constructs the world from the female point of view... carefully considered, subtle, and observant.' - SUNDAY TIMES. Lu Wilmott grows up in the Portsmouth slums of the 1920s. Stricken by diphtheria, she is sent to the Hampshire countryside, where she discovers a robust fighting spirit, new friends, and the first stirrings of sexual attraction. Faced with little choice, Lu begins to work in the infamous staymaking trade, where conditions are so appalling that she comes to realise that things must change. Her journey to maturity, from shy girl to independent woman, encompasses love, deep friendship, and a growing political awareness. Above all, Lu is a survivor - and one to be reckoned with.