Oranges and Murder

by Alison Prince

Joey is a coster boy in the East End of London selling oranges from his basket to make a living. He feels different from the other barrow boys as he knows that there is a mystery in his past. People say his real father was a lord. The mystery deepens when a man is murdered and Joey becomes the chief suspect. He goes into hiding, but is determined to find out the truth both about the murder and about his father.

Set in the first half of the nineteenth century, this is a beautifully-researched and atmospherically-written historical thriller.

* Alison Prince was joint winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Award with "The Sherwood Hero".

159 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2001

Reviews

[Aet Altement · Rating 2 out of 5]

13 aastane poiss Joey plaanib hakata iseseisvaks apelsini müüjaks, aga selleks on tal vaja raha koguda. Noormees on armunud ühte tüdrukusse Rose´i.
Ta elab oma üsna kesist elukest ema ja kasuisa juures. Ema ei üle, kes on tema isa, aga kuuljutud räägivad, et ta võib olla lordi poeg. Poiss kohtub Quinelli nimelise mehega, kes näib tema isast midagi teadvat. Mees õpetab teda lugema. Ühel päeval on mees mõrvatud ja selles süüdistatakse Joey´it, kes peab ennast varjama, et mitte vangi sattuda. Samal ajal enda süütust tõestada saab ta vaid ringi liikudes. Õnneks on tal sõpru, kes teda aitavad. Kui traagelniit hakkab lahti jooksma, tapetakse veel üks poiss.
Tundub päris põnev, aga oli kuidagi kuivalt kirjutatud, võttis jupp aega enne kui selle läbi sain, hoolimata sellest, et raamat on üsna õhuke.
Huvitav, kas tõesti saadi vanasti lapsi 14 aastaselt või oli see ikka erandlik juhtum?

[Linda Amos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a children's book, ideal for confident readers who want a bit of suspense.
Joey is a costermonger, selling fruit and veg with his father. The other costers call him Lord James which he hates. The costers all have dark curly hair, Joey is dark blond. Poll, his mother, won't respond to his questions. He starts reading lessons with Quinnell, a writer in the market. One evening he visits Quinnell only to find him slumped over his writing desk with a knife in his back. Mrs Jarrett from downstairs spots him leaving with a book under his arm and raises the alarm.

[Fatima · Rating 3 out of 5]

So in short everybody is connected , and 14 years old are considered to be adult enough to have there own families and all , i have no idea what time setting this book is in and I don't know how I feel about 14 year old being pregnant ..........

3.5 stars