Customer Reviews

13 reviews

• Carl Bridge

  Bloody awesomeness Manchester at its best!

• Angela Kitson

  Thoroughly enjoyed this trip back to the 80s, it brought back so many fond memories of growing up in Manchester. Beautifully written and gripping right up to the very end. Can’t wait for Nick Hopper to return!

• Jake Shepherd

  Great Read, couldn’t put it down! Can’t wait for the sequel.

• Paul Maguire

  A fantastic rip-roaring ride through mid 80's suburban Manchester. An adolescent coming of age tale that took me right back to my own teenage years.

• Eileen

  A fancy trip back in the time of the 80's. If so you will love this book. Had me crying and laughing in equal measure. It's a brilliant read and looking forward to part 2!
  

• Tracey Whittaker

  80’s Pop culture, Love stories, bromances, heartbreak & humour.
  Refreshingly entertaining!

• Paul Brook

  Excellent - It made me laugh, it made me cry.

• Mick Middles

  Dave Spence’s luminous word-of-mouth novel sits belligerently within a time-capsule of Christmas 1984. Indeed, the eighties had been unleashed and the story spits and pops with all the fizz and colour and sound that defines that sadly lost era. Oddly, it is set in the rather less colourful South Manchester suburb of Sale, just on the outside of edgier Stretford. To some extent, this detachment adds to the energy and pace of the tale. If it can happen here, where elegant houses with pristine lawns extend to touch crackly drug-fuelled estates, it can happen anywhere.
  
  The hero, Nick is not-so-loosely based on the ghost of the author’s young days. Subsequently, it’s difficult not to imagine him adorning leg-warmers and wrap-around scarves, such were the gentle affectations of the day. In the background, naturally, one hears the glorious pop of ABC, The Human League, Tears for Fears, Madonna…endlessly extending in to 12 inch jam outs. People of a certain age can simply slot in their own evocative soundtrack. Rather than venturing into the Manchester of legend - The Hacienda - the author chooses to stay local, injecting this warming though Godless tale into large pubs and dingy ‘take-aways’ that remain in place to this day. The book soon gathers pace when Nick’s mother unwisely hands him the Christmas keys to her beloved Porsche. Of course, one sense absolute disaster…and it is absolute disaster that duly arrives at the book speeds to a incident packed finale. Does Nick finally get the girl of his dreams? I cannot say, but the tumble of lust, romance, violence and ghostly sounds of a lost and beloved era, will remain with me…at least until the second instalment arrives in my eager hands.

• Mandy R

  Emotional Roller-Coaster!
  Incredibly well written, such detail I felt like I was there. Broke my heart at first but I was soon laughing out loud and rooting for Nick: Gate-Crashing house parties, making new friends, falling in love, heartbreak, friendship - eighties soundtrack - and the many questionable decisions made by a teenager home alone, Christmas 1984. Highly recommended reading this festive season!

• David

  Great read and coming from Mcr fabulous memories. Always a good sign when you fly through a book.

• Rina B

  OMG I cried a few times and laughed out loud lots of times throughout the book, it is so well written and really made me think of my college years.

• Nigel Reeves

  Thoroughly enjoyed the story, a real roller coaster covering more serious issues of Mental health and 80's youth culture. Those fun days of growing up and carefree days and parties are distant memory brought to life by this fantastic book. a read not to be missed.

• Karen Thompson

  A gripping read about love, loss, friendship, and, of course, our beloved eighties. I couldn't put this book down, it has the power to flip tears into laughter. Can't wait to read what happens next.

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