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Memory Lane
The Girls from Greenway
A dramatic and nostalgic saga of two sisters coming of age in 1960s Essex, perfect for fans of
Daisy Styles and Rosie Clarke.
Angie Smith lives in Greenway, Chelmsford, with her elder sister Doreen, their struggling mother and their drunk, violent father. Bored of her job, and of her dull, ordinary boyfriend, Angie dreams of bigger and better things.
But then she meets boutique owner Gene Battini. He is older, handsome, charming - and married. She is completely swept off her feet. But little does she know that Doreen is falling for Gene, too, and that their affair will have disastrous consequences.
As things at home go from bad to worse, Angie and Doreen must struggle to fight for what they want.
Can the girls from Greenway ever achieve their dreams?
Praise for Elizabeth Woodcraft
'A book to read in great gulps' Sheila Newberry
'Beautifully written . . . she has a real talent' Mary Gibson
Angie Smith lives in Greenway, Chelmsford, with her elder sister Doreen, their struggling mother and their drunk, violent father. Bored of her job, and of her dull, ordinary boyfriend, Angie dreams of bigger and better things.
But then she meets boutique owner Gene Battini. He is older, handsome, charming - and married. She is completely swept off her feet. But little does she know that Doreen is falling for Gene, too, and that their affair will have disastrous consequences.
As things at home go from bad to worse, Angie and Doreen must struggle to fight for what they want.
Can the girls from Greenway ever achieve their dreams?
Praise for Elizabeth Woodcraft
'A book to read in great gulps' Sheila Newberry
'Beautifully written . . . she has a real talent' Mary Gibson
338 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 22, 2019
5 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Woodcraft
9 books9 followersElizabeth Woodcraft was born and grew up in Chelmsford. She became a mod at 13, worked in the Milk Bar at 15, and danced to the music of Zoot Money, Georgie Fame and Wilson Pickett on Saturdays. This is the world reflected in the stories in A Sense of Occasion.
She took her suede coat and small collection of Tamla Motown records to Birmingham University where she studied philosophy. She then taught English in Leicester and Tours in France. After that, she moved to London where she worked for Women's Aid, the organisation which supports women who suffer domestic violence. Women's Aid helped to bring about a change in the law - the Domestic Violence Act of 1976 - and Elizabeth's experiences during that time led her to retrain as a barrister.
During her time at the Bar she represented Greenham Common Peace Protesters, Anti-Apartheid demonstrators, striking miners and Clause 28 activists, as well as battered women, children who have suffered sex abuse in and out of their homes and gay parents seeking parental rights.
She has published two crime novels, featuring barrister Frankie Richmond - Good Bad Woman and Babyface (Harper Collins). Frankie Richmond's collection of Stax and Motown records is to die for. Good Bad Woman was shortlisted for the John Creasey Award for Best First Crime Novel, and in the US won the Lambda Literary Award. The reviewer in the London Times said about Babyface, 'Move over Rumpole.' A third Frankie Richmond novel - Crazy Arms - is on the way.
Throughout her life, Liz has been writing, plays and stories, and she has always kept a diary. Her book A Sense of Occasion, published in 2014 is a collection of short stories about 4 working class girls living in the 60s. Her latest novel, Beyond the Beehive, continues the story of best friends Sandra and Linda, in the year 1965.
She is an occasional newspaper reviewer on BBC Radio Essex and recently appeared in the BBC East show ‘Living in ’66 – Pop, Pirates and Postmen,' talking about life as a mod girl in Chelmsford. She taught BBC Radio 6 DJ Steve Lamacq how to do the mod jive.
With her partner, she divides her time between Paris and London.
She took her suede coat and small collection of Tamla Motown records to Birmingham University where she studied philosophy. She then taught English in Leicester and Tours in France. After that, she moved to London where she worked for Women's Aid, the organisation which supports women who suffer domestic violence. Women's Aid helped to bring about a change in the law - the Domestic Violence Act of 1976 - and Elizabeth's experiences during that time led her to retrain as a barrister.
During her time at the Bar she represented Greenham Common Peace Protesters, Anti-Apartheid demonstrators, striking miners and Clause 28 activists, as well as battered women, children who have suffered sex abuse in and out of their homes and gay parents seeking parental rights.
She has published two crime novels, featuring barrister Frankie Richmond - Good Bad Woman and Babyface (Harper Collins). Frankie Richmond's collection of Stax and Motown records is to die for. Good Bad Woman was shortlisted for the John Creasey Award for Best First Crime Novel, and in the US won the Lambda Literary Award. The reviewer in the London Times said about Babyface, 'Move over Rumpole.' A third Frankie Richmond novel - Crazy Arms - is on the way.
Throughout her life, Liz has been writing, plays and stories, and she has always kept a diary. Her book A Sense of Occasion, published in 2014 is a collection of short stories about 4 working class girls living in the 60s. Her latest novel, Beyond the Beehive, continues the story of best friends Sandra and Linda, in the year 1965.
She is an occasional newspaper reviewer on BBC Radio Essex and recently appeared in the BBC East show ‘Living in ’66 – Pop, Pirates and Postmen,' talking about life as a mod girl in Chelmsford. She taught BBC Radio 6 DJ Steve Lamacq how to do the mod jive.
With her partner, she divides her time between Paris and London.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 20, 2020
Found this book quite hard going to begin with but ended up enjoying it. It's set in the 1960's in Chelmsford, England.
The story is about sisters, who are dating the same man.
I usually read books set earlier than this, I didn't really like the mod aspect of the book, just not my era!
The story is about sisters, who are dating the same man.
I usually read books set earlier than this, I didn't really like the mod aspect of the book, just not my era!
July 16, 2021
Basic story ok. Thought I would like it as set in my home town but it was only an ok book not very exciting
March 17, 2025
Read in 2 nights really good comfy read
June 11, 2024
A new author to me. I found this an excellent read. So different in many ways.
February 4, 2020
I got hooked on the story and on the characters in this book. You know you're hooked when you start wondering which way the story is likely to go and try and anticipate in your own mind what is going to happen next. More importantly the book was one where I really cared about the characters and
what was gong to happen to them all. I would thoroughly recommend it as a read but I also enjoyed the 1960’s nostalgia trip.
what was gong to happen to them all. I would thoroughly recommend it as a read but I also enjoyed the 1960’s nostalgia trip.
January 9, 2020
I actually enjoyed this one more than the first one. Again set in the 60s.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews