Dee Williams

It's 1935 and Maggie Ross loves her life amongst the stallholders in Kelvin Market where her husband Tony has a bric-a-brac stall and where she lives, with her young family, above Mr Goldman's bespoke tailors. But when one fine Spring day her husband disappears into thin air her world collapses.Maggie has no way of knowing where he husband went nor why he left her so suddenly - especially when she's got a new baby on the way. What she can tell is who her real friends are as she struggles to bring her children up alone. There's outspoken, golden-hearted Winnie, her fellow stallholder whose cheerful chatter hides a sad past, and cheeky Eve whom she's known since they were girls. And there's also Inspector Matthews, the policeman sent to investigate her husband's disappearance;a man who, to the Kelvin Market staffholders, is on the wrong side of the law, a man to whom Maggie is increasingly drawn.

Though she is still grieving the death of her mother, nineteen-year-old Sally Fuller has little choice but to carry on with the everyday business of life in 1930s Rotherhithe, caring for her father and young brother and sister, spending as much time with her boyfriend Pete as he can spare from his moneymaking schemes. But at the back of her mind she feels a nagging dissatisfaction - her matter-of-fact relationship with Pete, for instance, bears little resemblance to the romances of her movie-star idols, or even to the colourful liaisons of some of her more adventurous friends. And what about her more modest hopes for marriage and a baby of her own? Once again, Pete shows little interest. As war grows closer, Sally sees she must focus her mind on keeping those she loves safe and put her own selfish longings behind her. But war changes things ...

Hannah Miller is a young girl who has had to grow up fast. Since the death of her parents she has taken responsibility for her sister Alice, determined to provide her with the love and stability they've both been denied. But when a violent incident with their bullying guardian finds the girls cold and hungry on the teeming streets of East London, Hannah realises she is out of her depth. She has little option but to accept the help of the strange old woman Maudie whose ramshackle home at the end of Rotherhithe's bustling Hope Street, Hannah soon realises, is a den of young thieves.Alice loves their new life, the companionship of the lively household and the gruff affection of the enigmatice, warm-hearted Maudie. But despite the fact that she is growing increasingly fond of Jack, one of the most long-standing of Maudie's brood, Hannah can never be happy living outside the law. As she battles for respectability, Hannah begins to see she is creating an ever-widening rift between herself and those she loves most dearly - one of whom, as the Great War approaches, might be taken from her for good ...

Even if she feels life is passing her by as she serves behind the counter in her father's Rotherhithe grocer's shop, Annie Rogers knows she is lucky to have a secure home and a loving family - unlike her friend Lil, whose father is a violent drunk. Knowing how hard Lil's life is, Annie willingly helps her out, lending her dresses and make-up and, when Annie is asked out on a smart date by the landlord's son Peter Barrett, suggesting Lil come along to make up a foursome.But it is a shock when Lil gets on famously with Peter's swanky friend Julian whilst Annie feels much less sure of the smooth Peter. Soon Lil is busy earning money from pub singing spots set up for her by Julian, and Annie, no longer needed by her friend, feels more isolated than ever. It is then that she notices shy Will Hobbs from Fisher's engineering works. Before long Annie and Will are engaged, with plans for a home of their own in Surrey. But a dreadful accident at Fisher's and the looming shadow of World War II mean that life for Annie of Albert Mews is not so predictable - or secure - as she once thought it was ...