The Young Ones

Adams Family Saga #9

by Mary Jane Staples

Once they had been called Orrice and Effel, two bedraggled, scruffy waifs who lived rough off the streets of Walworth. Now they were Horrace and Ethel Cooper, grown up - quite respectable really - and living with their adopted parents, Jim and Rebecca Cooper. When Horrace saw the pretty girl who worked as a shop assistant in Adams (Ladies Fashion Modes) he was quite bowled over and knew he had to meet her. From then on he was in and out of the shop, buying hats and stockings and ribbons, trying desperately to persuade Miss Sally Brown to come out with him. And while he was laying siege to Sally, his sister Ethel was listening to her poet boyfriend spouting forth his romantic verse. But Ethel's involvement with the poet was to end more dangerously and dramatically than either she or Horrace had imagined and several quite startling events were to happen before Horrace and Ethel's affairs were resolved.

Genres: Family Saga

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Mary Jane Staples is a pseudonym used by British author Reginald Thomas Staples (1911-2005). He is also published under the name Robert Tyler Stevens, R.T. Stevens, and James Sinclair.

Reviews

[Rhona Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Adams Book 9.

The family are more in this book. Eloise is mentioned but not yet arrived. It is still August 1934 and Sammy Adams is after another factory he wishes to take over. The owner refuses to sell but there is more than one way of doing business.
Sally Brown, Susie's sister is having to deal with Horace, him of 'Orrice and Effel ( see two for three farthings) Carter as he is trying to woo her. His sister Ethel is being wooed by Davy Williams whose poetry leans to the morbid type. No sense of humour and after Boots advises Horace that he doesn't take humour well, he finds his sister missing...
Loads of humour from those in previous books especially the Pride of Walworth book. Anyway an enjoyable read.
Highly recommended.

[Alice Leak · Rating 5 out of 5]

9 books into the Adams family saga and I'm still enjoying this series immensely. Can't give it any less than the 5* I have given every other book in this series so far. Look forward to reading more books about the Adams family in the future.

[Jennsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book in the series is a story about the younger generation of the original characters, who have grown up or are growing up. I enjoyed the characters and storylines and look forward to the next story.

[Shahrun · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Books by Mary Jane Staples as they are set in the area of London I grew up in (although I live there much later than when the books are set there). I find the Charachters dialogue very amusing.

This book (as the title says) features the younger generation that you would have been introduced to in earlier books in this series. I was glad to learn of Orrice & Effel. As in an earlier book I read they were little kids in a bad way.

[Jane(Janelba) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a gift from my parents for Christmas and I thoroughly enjoyed it ! It's the first book by Mary Jane Staples that I have read but I will look out for more of them !

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason I can't seem to recall too much about this book. I'm fairly certain I bought it at an airport in England. Hmm...may have to take a look at it again for nostalgia's sake.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story incorporated the Cooper family from a stand alone earlier novel into the lives of the Adams Family. An enjoyable read.