The Penguin Podcast is back! Listen Now
Billy London's Girls

Billy London's Girls

A captivating and uplifting saga set in Bolton during WW2 from bestselling author Ruth Hamilton

Summary

A gripping and heart-warming saga set in Lancashire from the Sunday Times bestseller Ruth Hamilton, perfect for fans of Catherine Cookson. Guaranteed to keep you turning the page...

"Very much the successor to Catherine Cookson. Her books are plot driven, they just rip along; laughs, weeps, love, they've got the lot, and they're quality writing as well" - Sarah Broadhurst on Radio Four.

"Brilliant! I have read this book so many times I've had to buy 2 paperback copies before finally getting it on KINDLE. This has it all, pathos, humour, tragedy and emotion. I recommend this book and hope you enjoy it as much as I have." - ***** Reader review
"One of Ruth Hamilton's finest." - ***** Reader review
"Really good read and twist at the end..." - *****Reader review

*****


AS THE WAR SIRENS SOUND, SO THEY BEGIN THEIR OWN BATTLE FOR NEW FULFILLING LIVES...


Billy London
is a mean, dark, secretive man who is interested only in lining his pockets at the expense of those around him - most especially his wife and daughters.

When Ellen, his wife, who has put up with him for years, finds her children threatened, she prepares to fight like a tigress to protect the four girls, to give them the hope of a new and better life and a chance to escape from the evil and oppressive legacy of their father.

There is Abigail, clever, ambitious, and with an outer shell of steel that is necessary if she is to survive; Tishy, overwhelmingly lovely, who lives in a world all her own; Marie, brisk, capable, and nearly strong enough to defy her father; Theresa, more wounded, more vulnerable, more damaged by Billy than any of them.

As the sirens of 1939 herald the advent of war, so Billy London's girls begin their own battle for new, triumphant, and fulfilling lives.

Reviews

  • Very much the successor to Catherine Cookson. Her books are plot driven, they just rip along; laughs, weeps, love, they've got the lot, and they're quality writing as well
    Sarah Broadhurst on Radio 4

About the author

Ruth Hamilton

Ruth Hamilton became one of the north-west of England's most popular writers, her bestselling books include With Love From Ma Maguire, A Crooked Mile and Dorothy’s War. Ruth Hamilton was born in Bolton, which is the setting for many of her novels, and spent most of her life in Lancashire before moving to Liverpool. She died in 2016.
Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more