Not All Tarts Are Apple: A perfectly feel-good comic saga from the East End

A rags-to-riches story with a delightfully original spin, Not All Tarts Are Apple is narrated by seven-year-old Rosie who grows up in a cafe in 1950s Soho, watched over by her eagle-eyed Auntie Maggie and Uncle Bert, and visited on occasions by her mother, the mysterious, and often drunk, Perfumed Lady. But it soon transpires that the Perfumed Lady's family - landed gentry who hail from a country estate near Bath - are desperate to get their hands on Rosie, and will stop at nothing - even kidnap - to acquire her. Not All Tarts Are Apple is peopled with a wonderful cast of eccentric subsidiary characters - Great Aunt Dodie, Madame Zelda and Paulette, Sharky, the Campini Family who run an Italian delicatessan in Old Compton Street, and Maltese Joe - all of whom live in a Soho so atmospherically evoked that you can smell and taste it. ** From Publishers Weekly During Queen Elizabeth's coronation summer of 1953, Rosie, a seven-year-old waif living above an Old Compton Street caf� with the owners (a couple she calls Auntie Maggie and Uncle Bert), learns something about her unknown parentage in this captivating first novel. Granger, a native of London's bohemian Soho district, celebrates London low life a Dickensian rogues' gallery of pimps, prostitutes, con men, thieves and shady lawyers through the engaging voice of her endearing young heroine. "It's Edward VIII, miss," Rosie tells her teacher, eager to contribute to a class discussion about the new queen's family. "He was having it off with that Simpson woman, my auntie Maggie said so. Terrible it was. She was a divorced woman, miss, and still married to Mr. Simpson." As she talks of her school friends and neighbors, of a train trip, a beach holiday, a visit to a posh house as well as excursions closer to home, Rosie paints an earthy and entertaining picture of England a half-century ago. A high-speed chase, a kidnapping and blackmail provide the action, while the mysterious Perfumed Lady, the tart of the tale, supplies the tension. Readers expecting a conventional crime caper may be disappointed, but anyone who appreciates fine storytelling will eagerly await further word from Rosie in the sequel, The Widow Ginger, due next year. for fiction. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist Granger's latest is a warmhearted fictional memoir of growing up in post-World War II London. Six-year-old Rosa Featherby has been raised by Auntie Maggie and Uncle Bert ever since her mother, Cassandra, deserted her at birth. Despite occasional visits from her mum, Rosa can't imagine leaving her aunt and uncle and their circle of friends. But after a girl at school tells everyone in the playground that Rosa's mum is a tart, Rosa starts worrying about whether her life with Maggie and Bert will be disrupted. As it turns out, she's right to worry. Her mum is from a wealthy family but ran away to avoid her abusive stepfather, who now wants to get his hands on Cassandra's share of the profitable family business. Unlike many modern stories, this one ends with both the good guys and the baddies getting their just rewards. Rosa's little-girl perspective gives the book a charm and naivete rare in modern fiction, and the nostalgia for the "good old days" is palpable. Maeve Binchy fans will enjoy it. Emily Melton Copyright � American Library Association. All rights reserved A wonderfully warm and charming London saga, set in the Soho of the 1950s. If you like Donna Douglas and Nancy Revell, you'll love this! "She brings the East End to life..." - Barbara Windsor "A poignant story with a strong authentic backdrop..."- Woman & Home "I enjoyed this book so much and would recommend it to anyone..." — ***** Reader review "Great fun to read, amusing..." — ***** Reader review ******************************** WINNER OF THE HARRY BOWLING PRIZE FOR FICTION. WHAT IF EVERYTHING YOU KNEW COULD BE TAKEN FROM YOU IN A FLASH? Rosie has always lived with her eagle-eyed Auntie Maggie and Uncle Bert in their café in Soho, often visited by her mother - the mysterious, and often drunk, Perfumed Lady . Yet, her mother's family - landed gentry who hail from a country estate near Bath - are desperate to get their hands on Sophie and will stop at nothing - even kidnap - to get her... Will Rosie have to leave the Soho and the neighbours she knows and loves - Great Aunt Dodie, Madame Zelda and Paulette, Sharky, Maltese Joe and the Campini Family who run the delicatessen in Old Compton Street - for good? Rosie's story continues in The Widow Ginger . "Seven year old Rosie lives happily with Uncle Bert and pillow-plump Aunt Maggie above their cafe in Old Compton Street. The Soho neighborhood is rife with tough and sinewy London life including pimps and prostitutes, thieves and con men, the bent and the wicked. One day at school Rosie learns her real mum's a tart." -- Jacket. Six-year-old Rosa Featherby has been raised by her aunt and uncle in the Soho neighborhood of London ever since her mother deserted her at birth. But her happiness threatens to be disrupted by her mother's abusive stepfather, who wants to get his hands on the family business