52: Street Song/The Princess of Poor Street: Emma Blair: ISBN 0-7515-3302-5

[lnr]

Two books in one, I admit this one was bought at least partly because of the name of the author. It was the third in the three books for a tenner, and I was rather running out of inspiration so figured I might as well get something which was a bit of a brick. To be honest the two stories weren't exactly hugely exciting. Set in Glasgow, each spanning the years between the 30s and 50s, they each seem to have a fairly similar plot outline. Two male characters, each making their way from poor roots to become something in the world, but one using fair(ish) methods and the other foul. And of course the woman they both end up loving/wanting.

I think on balance I liked Street Song better. I just couldn't reconcile myself with the "good" guy of the pair in Princess ending up killing himself and this being a moderately happy ending just because the girl was then set free from a marriage she was determined to be faithful to even though she was not in love. Of course the bad guy still got his comeupance (sp?) and there was an even nicer guy who popped up towards the end to be the love interest, but even so. And to have it just tucked into the last chapter as the whole thing is being neatly unknotted just made it seem like a cheap and horrible trick.

I can't see me reading anything else by this author to be honest, but it kept me amused for a few days.