The Boy with the Latch Key

The Boy with the Latch Key
Cathy Sharp

Heartache and hardship in London’s East End, from the bestselling author of The Orphans of Halfpenny StreetIt’s the 1950’s and the orphans of Halfpenny Street have found a new home in the Essex countryside at Halfpenny House. Meanwhile, back among the slum clearances of Bethnal Green, St Saviour’s has now been partially given over to a home for disturbed girls though it still serves as a reception centre for local children who are in desperate need.Amongst these are Archie and his sister June. They’ve been ‘latch key’ kids; fending for themselves while their caring but harassed and careworn mum tries to make ends meet. Now she’s been accused of theft and prison seems inescapable. Archie has no intention of letting his mum go down. He knows she’s innocent and will do anything to prove it. But can he help his mum before adoption, and the authorities, take him and June away forever?

Copyright (#u03c152e8-2afa-5cba-8aba-68f69720a496)

Harper

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First published in Great Britain by Harper 2017

Copyright © HarperCollinsPublishers 2017

Cover layout design © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2017

Cover photography © Henry Steadman (child characters posed by models); background street scene © Charles Hewitt / Hulton Archive / Getty Images

Cathy Sharp asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

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Source ISBN: 9780008211608

Ebook Edition © February 2017 ISBN: 9780008211615

Version: 2017-02-10

Table of Contents

Cover (#u9f4444e0-d600-54f3-a0d8-73fa91c4475b)

Title Page (#u1694e526-4704-5505-9023-d4482050ce61)

Copyright (#ub2c6bbd1-7f10-5b81-abe7-2c99d16f360e)

Chapter 1 (#u0b302acf-de7f-569c-97b5-a8444e8f4704)

Chapter 2 (#uf51383ce-2fd8-5068-be52-4c69b014f098)

Chapter 3 (#ud26544a6-4406-591b-82ba-5bed96f71964)

Chapter 4 (#uee37ce3c-a83d-5e49-bb1c-b3d2b713d25e)

Chapter 5 (#u41e7ab57-d5f8-550d-a747-77fb20ff73b0)

Chapter 6 (#uf13a7433-a2fe-5cb9-8693-e77a74cef6bf)

Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 16 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 17 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 18 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 19 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 20 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 21 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 22 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 23 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 24 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 25 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 26 (#litres_trial_promo)