Waterstones Scottish Book of the Month for January 2023
There were good people in The Homes. But there were also some very,very bad ones...
A thousand unwanted children live in The Homes,a village of orphans in the Scottish Lowlands on the outskirts of Glasgow. Lesley was six before she learned that most children live with their parents. Now Lesley is twelve,and she and her best friend Jonesy live in Cottage 5,Jonesy the irrepressible spirit to Lesley's quiet thoughtfulness.
Life is often cruel at The Homes,and suddenly it becomes much crueller. A child is found murdered. Then another. With the police unable to catch the killer,Lesley decides to take the matter into her own hands. But unwanted children are easy victims,and Lesley is in terrible danger...
Inspired by a true story,and introducing readers to the unforgettable voice of young orphan Lesley,The Homes is a moving and lyrical thriller,perfect for readers of Val McDermid,Chris Whitaker,Jane Casey and Denise Mina.
Publisher: Profile Books LtdISBN: 9781788167055Number of pages: 384Weight: 260 gDimensions: 196 x 128 x 26 mmEdition: Main
MEDIA REVIEWS
'Tense yet tender,as moving as it is gripping... set to be one of the Scottish crime books of the year. I loved it'- Chris Brookmyre
'An extraordinary story quite brilliantly told. Lesley is a wonderful character,and J.B. Mylet catches her voice perfectly. I found myself staying up long after lights out reading "just another chapter"'- James Oswald
'Heart-warming,heart-breaking and utterly compelling. I could not put this beautiful book down and it stayed with me long after I finished it'- Marion Todd
'An evocative,compelling and ultimately moving mystery with a captivating central character'- Brian McGilloway
'Amazing. I was hooked from the first page... A brilliant,must read story,all the more powerful because it's told through the bewildered logic of a child. I read it with an ache in my chest for all the Lesleys and Jonesys out there'- Anna Smith
'A serial-killer mystery and a whodunit,but so much more. Tragic,gritty and haunting,yet brims with bitter-sweet humour and a main character who will steal your heart away'- Janice Hallett
'In an unguarded voice that conveys her intelligence and courage while still passing convincingly as that of a smart 12-year-old girl,Mylet balances the whodunnit aspects with the painful lessons Lesley is learning about life... It's a testament to the strength of Mylet's characterisation,and his ability to make us care about her,that by the end of this excellent debut the real question is not so much "Who committed the murders" but "Where does Lesley go from here"'- Herald Scotland
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