The Deal — Karen Woods

People can buy your silence, but not your loyalty…

Macy Taylor was born in the shadow of Tavistock Square, at the heart of her Manchester estate. It's got a reputation as a place where bad things happen. But it's kept her secrets and she's kept its code of silence.

If you need something sorting, or want something you can't get anywhere else â€" no questions asked â€" then you go to the Square. But everything in life comes at a price.

Leanne Taylor is seventeen â€" she doesn't understand why her mother wants her to keep clear of the life she led as a teenager. Leanne's got dreams, but they don't come cheap and the only people with money and power she knows are the boys and men that make their deals in the alleys and dark corners of the Square.

For mother and daughter, it's time to work out what they really care about, how fiercely they'll fight to protect it, and what they'll do when one day, the trouble they've worked so hard to outrun comes right to their own front door…

Reviews

‘The Northern Martina Cole. Karen Woods writes about Manchester with a pageturning fierceness.' Melanie Blake

‘Wow! Karen Woods has delivered a gripping read full of grit and with characters to keep you turning the pages. And that ending! I didn't see that coming at all. Loved it. 5 huge stars from me.' Caz Finlay, author of the Bad Blood series

About the author

Karen Woods left school at 15 with no qualifications but she always knew she had a story to tell. An adult literacy course when she was 40 opened the gates and she's written over 20 novels since. She is now a passionate literacy campaigner who also works in schools empowering children to write and tell their story. Karen lives in Manchester with her family.