In the war-torn autumn of 1940, as Britain faces the imminent threat of invasion, a young lad, bombed out from a London orphanage, arrives in the English village of Widdlington to live with his pious spinster aunt. He hopes to find a peaceful haven, but instead becomes embroiled in conflict with local gangs of children. Each gang has its own territory, customs and taboos. There's also the school bully, nicknamed "The Slug"…

The newcomer must either fight "The Slug" or submit to his tyranny.

The young evacuee has already suffered from the air-raids in London. In Widdlington, he struggles to find acceptance, but his aunt is not the easiest person to live with. A sense of belonging may be within reach as he falls in love for the first time. Can this tender relationship survive gang turmoil and his aunt's opposition?

This exciting and nostalgic story of conflict, relationships and young love is set against the backdrop of social change during the Second World War.

Gang Territory was a pleasure to read – I was hooked from the first paragraph. This is a story that will delight boys of any age from 8 – 80! One of the few stories set in wartime Britain that I have actually enjoyed because it created a sense of reality. Gang Territory is about a real boy doing real things in a world that was real!
Helen Hollick