Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars A lovely story and a great read, and who can ask for more than that?
By Terry Eastham on 28 May 2016
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
This book has two things that really appealed to me. The first was the style of writing. it was easy to read and the mixture of present day and past life stories worked really well to explain the personality and spirit of Joe Tully. He isn’t your everyday literary hero, but is a normal man. The years may have aged him, his family may have deserted him ,but he is an old trooper and never loses his sense of who he is and what he wants.
The second factor is that Joe, and most of the other characters, are all involved in the theatre, which is one of my own loves. The author brings all her experience and love of the theatre into her writing and it really shows through. Her description of the play in the back room of the pub was perfect and is still as true today, where some fantastic work is produced in fringe pub theatre venues, as it was in Joe’s day.
4.0 out of 5 starsJust Joe
By W. Russell on 11 Mar. 2016
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
Joe is a musician, a man who plays in the pit at West End shows, composes music, fancies his chances and makes the wrong one, living to regret it. We meet him in his old age dumped in a retirement complex by his daughter and awful son in law after he has accidentally set fire to his flat. Joe may be down, but he is not out. The books takes us back to why he got where he is, and springs some splendid surprises about where he will end up. Aline Wates paints a lovely picture of 1960s London, a vanished world, and Joe is a beguiling if infuriating character who encounters some equally entertaining and not too well behaved people along the way. Great holiday reading – if that is not an insulting thing to say. I almost read it in one go, and that was only because I ran out of time on the first attempt to read it. Could easily be an in one go book.
4.0 out of 5 star musicians `jammed` into the wee small hours in basements in tin pan alley and people loved, laughed and drank their lives away
By Stewart Permutt on 21 July 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
Actress-producer Aline Waites` debut novel is a delightful nostalgic trip into sixties and seventies London, where theatres above pubs were just emerging, musicians `jammed` into the wee small hours in basements in tin pan alley and people loved , laughed and drank their lives away. It also shows quite movingly how time takes its toll on the central characters through a series of vignettes from past to present. An easy but satisfying read.
4.0 out of 5 starsA very entertaining read.
By Angela Mowforth on 11 Sept. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Joe is a musician and a wonderful character – stubborn – infuriating but such a charmer!
His story is a joy to read.
4.0 out of 5 stars Joe is good
By Londonjerez on 18 April 2016
Format: Paperback
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
The book is available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.
alinewaites 
Leave a Reply