Finer Things by David Wharton

 

Finer Things by David Wharton.

Published 27th June 2019 by Sandstone Press.

From the cover of the book:

London: 1963. The lives of a professional shoplifter and a young art student collide.

Delia must atone for a terrible mistake; Tess is desperate to be a real artist. With the threat of the criminal underworld encroaching, only their friendship can save them from disaster.

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The 1960s are starting to swing! For some this is a time to strike out on new adventures, but for others it is not so easy to break away from the gloom and austerity that has overshadowed the post-war years.

For Delia, a professional shoplifter or 'hoister' to those in the trade, things are very much as they have ever been since she was welcomed into Stella's gang just after the war. She is used to living life on the edge, and trusting her instincts to keep her out of harm's way, but she is under no illusion that her world could come crashing down at any moment.

For the young, naive Tess, this is her chance to break away from her northern roots and make it as an artist. Her exciting new life as an art student in London is proving to be something of an eye-opener, and she cannot seem to help herself from being drawn to living dangerously.

When Delia's good fortune comes to an end, and power struggles in the criminal underworld find her contemplating a different kind of life, fate throws her and Tess together in a most unexpected way. An unlikely friendship develops between them - one that proves to save them both from disaster.

The blurb for this novel is surprisingly spare, giving little away about the evocative delights that lie within its pages. As the narratives of Delia and Tess swap back and forth, weaving their separate stories and then colliding together, Wharton does a truly impressive job of vividly bringing alive the early 1960s, and his choice of characters is perfect to examine the huge social and political changes going on at this time.

Delia's story immerses you in the lives of those living on the fringes - the ones who find themselves caught up on a path that takes them off the straight and narrow in order to survive. Through her, you are introduced to hard life of those growing up in the rubble and desolation of the post-war East End of London, and the power of the criminal underworld. Delia has had to grow up be tough in this world, and she takes pride in being the best 'hoister' in Stella's gang, but as the story progresses you begin to see that there is so much more to her character. Underneath the cool, calm exterior Delia cares very deeply about some things, and when a job goes horribly wrong her vulnerability is exposed. Delia was my favourite character in this tale. She is smart, full of insight, and acutely aware of the unpredictable nature of the life she lives. The moments when she considers the 'path not taken' are especially poignant. My own father was born and bred in the East End of this era, and he often talked about the people, the social, political and physical landscape of this part of London - hinting at the power of the gangs at this time, and the awareness of all that perceived infractions could impact their lives. This really connected me to Delia's story, and I was so impressed with the way Wharton brings such an authentic feel of time and place when he writes about the life she leads. 

Tess is not quite so easy to sympathise with, as her brash and unsophisticated nature carries with it the selfish arrogance of youth - the stage of life hindsight often makes us cringe about in our later years. Her single-minded eagerness to gain the experience she feels required of her as a 'real' artist does not always make her the most sensitive of friends. This is the side of the 1960s where change is coming, but first she has to have her eyes opened to many issues she has not considered before. Tess' awakening on many fronts explores the stirrings of someone developing a political and social conscience, especially around the beginnings of the anti-Apartheid movement, illegal homosexuality, abortion and birth control, as she learns more about the world around her. I also really enjoyed the way Wharton uses Tess' side of the story to beautifully look at the gulf that can develop between parents and their off-spring when the lives they find themselves living have so little in common.

I absolutely loved this novel. It has style. pace and real emotional depth, all tied up in the kind of story that holds you fast from the first page to the last. The way the relationship develops between Delia and Tess is really something special, as they both find a way to move forward in ways they could never have imagined before they met. I am really not ready to let these characters go, which is the highest compliment I can pay to the work of an author. 

 Finer Things is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

As a little extra treat, it is my great pleasure to bring you a  letter from the editor of this novel, explaining what drew her to it and why she thinks it is so brilliant. I have to agree with her on every point!

Dear Reader

 Finer Things drew me in from the first page of the first draft. Set in the London of the swinging sixties, Finer Things is the story of a friendship between two very different women: a professional shoplifter and an art student. The unusual protagonists and the vivid setting kept the pages turning and I’m delighted that the book is now out in the world!

The heart of the book is the relationship between Delia and Tess. ‘Hoister’ Delia is a tough woman, surviving on the edge of society and always a little afraid that her world could come crashing down at any moment. A pragmatist focused on her own survival, she’s haunted by the injuries inflicted on a young thief she couldn’t protect. She’s a crook but she’s vulnerable and my heart was in my mouth every time it looked as though the law – or the criminal gangs – might get her in their clutches.

 Art student Tess is often less sympathetic; having been raised in a Northern city, she’s keen to make her mark on London and cares most about herself. Her freedom and advancement comes at the expense of her family and friends. She’s immediately recognisable as someone young and self-absorbed and drawn to danger and excitement. While Delia tries to avoid the danger of her world, Tess – who has much less sense of what it’s really like – is drawn in.

 As the two women’s lives becoming increasingly intertwined, the drama is heightened by the realistic depiction of the 1960s. Wharton evokes all its grit and glamour and pain magnificently. Apartheid, illegal homosexuality and issues of birth control are all explored in this cliché-smashing feminist work.

 I really hope you love it as much as I do.

 With best wishes,

 Kay Farrell

Assistant Publisher
Sandstone Press Ltd

About the author:

David Wharton grew up in Northumberland and lives in Leicester, where he has worked in education for many years. He now divides his time between writing fiction and training English teachers. Finer Things is his first novel.