Joe Rat

(Paperback)

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Description

An rollicking adventure following a sewer-scavenger, Joe Rat, as he faces the challenges of life in crime-infested Victorian London. Set in the underbelly of Victorian London's East End, JOE RAT follows the fortunes of a tosher, Joe, who lives by scavenging in the sewers around the area of Whitechapel. It's a fast-paced and vivid tale of survival in a society which fosters neither friendship nor trust. But Joe comes to know both after a chance encounter with a runaway girl, Bess, and the 'madman' who inhabits Pound's Field. With gangs lurking round every corner and a life spent in the rat-infested tunnels below the streets, Joe needs more than a prime piece of tosh to change his fortunes . . .

Reviews

Gritty, flawed characters, propulsive plot and brooding atmosphere yield a gripping mash-up of Dickensian tropes with an Adam Rapp-like concern for throwaway children. A chilling mystery that will haunt readers long after the final page * Kirkus *
A vivid and atmospheric story, with graphic descriptions of steaming sewers, that incorporates mystery with Dickensian overtones * The Bookseller *
This exciting 'Dickensian' story has echos of Coram Boy . . . Keen readers over 10 who enjoy historical novels will definitely appreciate this one * The School Librarian *
This is a great book, full of mystery and the horror of Victorian low-life * Independent *
This is such a superb book * The Irish Times *

Author Bio

Mark Barratt was born and bred in London and lives with his wife and three children on a leafy hill not far from the Thames. In a highly varied working career he has been an actor, theatre director, writer and teacher, while always spending as much time as possible fishing. His script for the audio play The Wizard's Spell won a prize for Best Entertainment at the New York Festival in 1994.