Victoria Park by Gemma Reeves

A delightfully written book, made up of a series of portraits of people living and working around Victoria Park in Hackney, east London. The park effectively provides the plot line on which the different characters lives are situated. The different individuals are nicely drawn but then inter-relate together. So the reader meets, Luca, who works in the Deli, on his way to band practice. Joe gives him a lift on his motorbike. Next, there is Elena having a steamy affair with Joe - only she is Luca's wife. The story for each character is set in a different month, with characters introduced earlier getting walk on cameo parts in other individuals stories. And it all goes on around the park. It is a clever piece of writing, light but always intriguing, Some secrets and lies, without ever becoming predictable or cliched. There is possibly a greater resonance for those who know the park but also an added attraction for those who don't. An excellent read. Published by Allen and Unwin Price - £8.99