Product Description

When Hetty Huggins made a promise to her dying mother that she would look after her younger sister and brothers, little did she know how difficult this would be. But despite the threat of being turned out onto the streets by the unscrupulous tallyman and the never-ending struggle just to exist, Hetty is determined her family will never starve or want for a roof over their heads. Longing for something better out of life than the daily grind of making matchboxes for a pittance, she dreams of setting up her own business. With the help of friends she sells hot potatoes on the streets and things begin to look up for them all. But when the tallyman comes calling, they are faced once more with a future full of hardship and despair...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #72945 in Books
• Published on: 2009-02-26
• Original language: English
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 512 pages

From the Inside Flap
When Hetty Huggins made a promise to her dying mother that she would look after her younger sister and brothers, little did she know how difficult this would be. But despite the threat of being turned out onto the streets by the unscrupulous tallyman and the never-ending struggle just to exist, Hetty is determined her family will never starve or want for a roof over their heads.

Longing for something better out of life than the daily grind of making matchboxes for a pittance, she dreams of setting up her own business. With the help of friends she sells hot potatoes on the streets and things begin to look up for them all. But when the tallyman comes calling , once more they are faced with a future full of hardship and despair...

£19.99

From the Back Cover
Hetty had learned long ago that having money made the difference between living and simply existing. She would never allow her family to go hungry again. There had to be a better life somewhere, and she was determined to work until she had found this other place; where the streets were not knee deep in horse dung and rotting vegetable matter, where sewers did not overflow every time there was a rainstorm, where disease did not claim the lives of babies and small children, and where men and women were not withered into a premature old age from poverty and want.

About the Author
Dilly Court grew up in North-east London and began her career in television, writing scripts for commercials. She is married with two grown-up children and four grandchildren, and now lives in Dorset on the beautiful Jurassic Coast with her husband and a large, yellow Labrador called Archie. She is also the author of Mermaids Singing, The Dollmaker's Daughters, Tilly True, The Best of Sisters, The Cockney Sparrow, A Mother's Courage and The Constant Heart.

Customer Reviews

Spell Binding - read it in two days!
I literally only finished reading this book three days ago, and was so hooked I read it in two days!

Hetty Huggins has a hard life looking after her sister and younger brothers and although at times their life looks bleak she never lets it get her down or stops trying. She dreams of running her own tea shop which is a million miles away from her life making match boxes, but with her loyal and faithful friends helping her along the way she is determined to make a success of her life.

A heart warming book with family, friends, loyalty, laughter and tears - as always a great read from Dilly Court!

A Mother's Promise
I read classics at school - books I found utterly boring but Dilly Court is now my cup of tea as I can put the book down at any time, pick it up again and know all the characters and what is going on. I can't wait for her next one as I have read all up to date.

great book
yet another great book from dilly court.
roll on september when her next book comes out.