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The Orphans of Halfpenny Street
- Children's Home, Book 1
- Narrated by: Antonia Beamish
- Series: Children's Home, Book 1
- Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
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Emmy Carter's mother is a prostitute - and her life has made Emmy determined to avoid the same fate. But Emmy is beautiful, so attracts unwanted attention; her mother's protector has his eye on her, as does evil Marcus Armistead, her employer's nephew. Marcus is excited by Emmy's virginity and has her kidnapped, but Emmy hits him over the head and escapes. Marcus, further enraged, kills her mother and becomes even more determined to rape Emmy, but the combined efforts of the local parson and Emmy's young suitor manage to keep her safe from harm.
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Summary
Call the Midwife meets Dr Barnardo's in this gritty drama that will appeal to fans of Katie Flynn.
St Saviour's will never turn a homeless child away.... When there is nowhere else to turn, St Saviour's will give them hope....
It's 1948, and London's East End is still a bombed-out landscape. Sister Beatrice, who runs the St Saviour's Children's Home, knows that life is still a precarious existence for many children, and it seems that there is no end to the constant stream of waifs and strays who appear at their door looking for a safe haven.
One such arrival is Mary Ellen, whose mother is gravely ill. The one silver lining is her best friend, the tearaway Billy Baggins, also a resident of the home, but Billy seems intent on falling foul of Sister Beatrice's strict regime.
New arrival on the staff Angela admires Sister Beatrice but can see that the children need love and kindness as well as a strong hand. When an unwelcome face from Billy's past arrives on the scene, things are brought to a head.
Can the two women work together to keep Billy on the straight and narrow - or is it too late?
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What listeners say about The Orphans of Halfpenny Street
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
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Performance
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- Kathleen
- 21-11-18
Brilliant
Lovely book, can't wait to start the next one, I laughed and cried. Well done.
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- A. Richards
- 07-10-18
excellent
a sad and moving story. lovely storyline. a happy story with interesting twists and turn. enjoyable and entertaining.
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- Anne Callender
- 19-07-17
I really enjoyed it great storyline
I found it was a book that kept me hooked from beginning to end really believable
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- Judith e smith
- 12-05-17
The orphans of happening street
Very good book lots going on but all the people had their own lives but this did not stop the writer . Very good to Listen too
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- MrsV Ridge
- 06-11-16
a very good book to read on the beach or On plane
love it could not put it down a good read and a good cry too
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- Endora
- 01-10-16
Library story
Loved it and its simplicity. Lovely story and a bit of social history as well.
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- Kat
- 18-08-16
Narrator not to my liking
Good book, but the narrator was rather stilted and at times the characters seemed to say things that were not really required , repeating information etc.
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- Mrs. Susan Gardner
- 16-07-16
The Orphans of halfpenny street
I thought this book very different, it involved adults & children. Both were described very well telling of their thoughts & dreams. It covered a whole host of topics from happy to sad all was very well written whether it was from the point of view of the adults or the children. A good book all round especially for readers who prefer vintage drama.
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- annette bickley
- 21-03-16
Good story
Great story but I didn't like the narrator much.
I think I'll read the authors books in the future unless different narrator.
1 person found this helpful
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- steph
- 21-03-16
half a penny
good story with lots of different twists, and true to therapy of the time. the book was written about.