Review
Praise for Damaged Goods:
‘A fantastic first novel’
Jane Elliott, author of THE LITTLE PRISONER and SADIE
‘A dark and gripping read that will have you on the edge of your seat … this terrific debut novel is full of intrigue and a real page-tuner.’
Closer Magazine
‘This is an excellent debut novel by a local family solicitor, that will have you enthralled from beginning to end.’
Luton News
CLOSER Magazine
Product Description
Terrified. Abused.
Who do you trust when the world is against you?
Hope is in short supply for Kelsey Brand…
Abandoned by her mother and placed in care, 14-year-old Kelsey - along with her younger sisters - is just another forgotten child of the state.
Unable to cope with the care home's harsh regimes, Kelsey attempts to take her own life, leaving her horrifically scarred - and mute.
Days later, the body of Kelsey's mother Grace - a known prostitute and heroin addict - is found butchered on a notorious Luton council estate. And Kelsey becomes a suspect…
Enter Lilly Valentine. A tough-talking Yorkshire lawyer with a heart of gold and a will of iron, Lilly has forsaken a glittering career to move south and help vulnerable kids escape the system.
Determined to prove Kelsey's innocence, Lilly ventures into the heart of a dark city with as many secrets as problems. Prostitution, paedophilia, drugs and blackmail: Lily must put her own life at risk to save a silent, terrified child and find the real killer…
From the Back Cover
Hope is in short supply for Kelsey Brand.
Abandoned by her junkie mother Grace and sent to 'The Bushes' children's care home, 14 year-old Kelsey is all alone in the world. Desperate to end her miserable, short life, she attempts suicide - by drinking bleach. And when Grace's mutilated corpse is discovered, it seems that things for Kelsey are only going to get worse - especially when she is named as the chief suspect…
Enter Lilly Valentine. A lawyer who has devoted her life to defending these forgotten children, her feisty exterior conceals a heart of gold. Determined to prove Kelsey's innocence, she sets out to find the real killer, encountering a world of prostitution, drugs and violence, at times risking her own life. For there are twisted individuals who will stop at nothing to keep their depravity concealed and mute, vulnerable Kelsey is the perfect scapegoat for their crimes. It's up to Lilly to prove Kelsey's innocence - to give a voice to this silent, terrified child.
--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.About the Author
Helen Black was brought up in a mining town in West Yorkshire. She moved to London in her twenties and trained to be a commercial lawyer. On qualification she shifted lanes and has practised criminal and family law for over ten years. She specialises in representing children in the care system. She now lives in Bedfordshire with her husband and young children. Damaged Goods is her debut novel.
