Talk of the Town by Jacob Polley

Talk of the Town

Jacob Polley

When I first picked up this book I thought 'oh no' as I wasn't in the mood to grapple with the 1980's Carlisle dialect. However, I quickly acclimatised and became drawn into the life of 14-year-old Christopher and the tense, desperate mystery of what has happened to his missing best friend. A gripping emotive tale well worth the initial effort required; with lovely lyrical language it’s not surprising this debut comes from an established poet.

Extract
What I know by her voice is that me mam's bein ovverheard by someone else, by someone waitin with her in the livin room. ... I stop at the side of the livin-room door ter swaller. I have ter show nowt in me face, so I bend double and peer at the pattern of threads in the carpet. I'm thinkin about what's gan on down there where me feet're plonked. I put me mind down there, outta the way with the threads and the dust, while I pull me socks up me legs ter hod up havin ter gan through the livin-room door. I dry me palms on me jeans. I've got nowt left ter do now but gan through.
Parallels
  • Clay by David Almond
  • The Outsiders by S E Hinton
  • Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh