The Scarlet Boy

Taking his inspiration from the powerful screen goddesses of the day, young Edward will stop at nothing in his single-minded pursuit of romance and stardom, cutting a swathe through his parents’ mining community and the local grammar school. Harsh reality and his sharp-tongued mother, however, have a way of pricking his glorious balloon. Wakefield’s sequel to Forties Child, The Scarlet Boy, left unfinished at his death, is a wonderful recreation of childhood. It has all the hallmarks of a Tom Wakefield novel — a most vivid sense of place, total empathy with his characters, and a playful desire to undermine sexual conventions. Completed by his close friend, Patrick Gale, The Scarlet Boy is a fitting tribute to one of the very best late 20th century British writers.