SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2018 POLARI PRIZE

'Life affirming and triumphant' Mark A. Radcliffe

'Vivid and touching… this book left me haunted long after I put it down' Umi Sinha

The heat is oppressive and storms are brewing in Brighton in the summer of 1982. Little Gold, a boyish girl on the brink of adolescence, is struggling with the reality of her broken family and a home descending into chaos. Her only refuge is the tree at the end of her garden.

Into her fractured life steps elderly neighbour, Peggy Baxter. The connection between the two is instant, but just when it seems that Little Gold has found solace, outsiders appear who seek to take advantage of her frail family in the worst way possible. In an era when so much is hard to speak aloud, can Little Gold share enough of her life to avert disaster? And can Peggy Baxter, a woman running out of time and with her own secrets to bear, recognise the danger before it’s too late?

What Reviewers and Readers Say:

‘A tender, beautifully paced and deeply moving debut… Little Gold herself is a wonderful centrepiece… and in Peggy Baxter, Rogers has offered up one of the most engaging heroines I have read in a very long time. This is a book about individual struggle that manages to be both life affirming and triumphant.’ Mark A. Radcliffe, author of Gabriel's Angel

‘Such a wonderfully moving and atmospheric novel, full of very real and very touching relationships. A brilliant portrayal of the pain and wonder of leaving behind childhood, beautifully evocative of a Brighton summer in the 1980s.’ Catherine Hall, author of Days of Grace

‘Reminiscent of Scout Finch, Little Gold is a great addition to literature’s endearing child characters. Vivid, touching, sad and frightening, this book exposes the dark underbelly of 1980s Brighton and left me haunted long after I put it down.’Umi Sinha, author of Belonging

‘A gripping and yet tender novel, and the characters of Peggy Baxter and Little Gold are brilliantly handled. I was rooting for Little Gold from the start, and fascinated and moved by Peggy’s story. Brighton is so vividly depicted, too. It’s a great first novel.’ Bethan Roberts, author of My Policeman

‘Opening Allie Rogers’ Little Gold I found myself engrossed in a vibrant, moving tale of one family’s struggle to get by. This is a book about survival, about the pluck and power of a singular child and the fundamental importance of friendship.’ Alison Smith, author of Name All the Animals

'Little Gold is a step back in time, into a rich world with complex characters on meaningful inner journeys thatare quietly intriguing.' Hannah Hohman, ForeWord Reviews

A Trace of Murder