By Doug Johnstone
Published by Orenda Books (Ebook - out now; Paperback - 16 May 2019)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher
Publisher's description
A toxic family … a fight for survival…
Seventeen-year-old Tyler lives in one of Edinburgh’s most deprived areas. Coerced into robbing rich people’s homes by his bullying older siblings, he’s also trying to care for his little sister and his drug-addict mum.
On a job, his brother Barry stabs a homeowner and leaves her for dead, but that’s just the beginning of their nightmare, because the woman is the wife of Edinburgh’s biggest crime lord, Deke Holt.
With the police and the Holts closing in, and his shattered family in devastating danger, Tyler meets posh girl Flick in another stranger’s house, and he thinks she may just be his salvation … unless he drags her down too.
Breakers is a compelling, gritty crime novel that shattered my heart. So different from the authors' previous novel, Faultlines, but just as brilliant.
Set mainly in a deprived area of Edinburgh, this is an honest, and often brutal, portrayal of a broken family ruined by drink, drugs and crime. Yet it's also filled with glimmers of light, as 17-year-old Tyler is determined to create a better life for himself and his younger sister Bethany.
I struggled to put Breakers down. This character-led psychological thriller is filled with astute observations, vivid descriptions and punchy dialogue. Taut writing means that every word counts. It's tense and shocking and felt very real. I was so invested in the characters that I had to know how it ended, holding my breath during some of the final chapters - I had to know that Tyler and Bethany were safe.
Breakers is a story of family, love and responsibility. A story of resilience and determination in a toxic world, with a teenager fighting against nature and nurture to do what's right. And a story that highlights the rich-poor divide and that possessions shouldn't (and don't) define us, as it's what's inside us that counts.
This is a book that will give you food for thought - and characters who will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.
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Huge thanks for the Blog Tour support Vicki x
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