Title: The Dreamtime of the Artful Dodger
Authors: Norman Eshley & Elizabeth Revill
Publication Date: 28th September 2021
About the Book
Oliver Twist has been rescued and is safe and well. Bill Sikes is dead. Fagin is in prison under sentence of death by hanging. His gang of pickpockets and thieves has been disbanded.
One of the gang, Jack Dawkins, is in Newgate prison awaiting transportation to Australia. His crime? Theft of a silver snuffbox. What happens to him is the story of a young man trying his best to survive in the harshest of worlds. How does he fare?
It is not for nothing that Jack Dawkins is known as the Artful Dodger!
About the Authors
Norman Eshley has been a professional actor since 1966, appearing in many notable TV series and films as well as starring in numerous commercial theatre tours.
He feels truly blessed to be married to Rachel.
This is his first novel.
Elizabeth Revill is a multi-optioned screenwriter, a novelist with fifteen titles and a produced playwright who began her career as a professional actress after winning the Carleton Hobbs Award from the BBC.
She lives on a farm in Devon with her husband Andrew, dog Pippin and Ashton the cat.
Excerpt
Jack and Mason were led through the stockade past huts and people working quietly at a variety of different jobs. They walked on until they reached a stout, thick, wooden door. All this was done in silence making both youngsters feel even more uncomfortable. Masters turned to Jack and ordered, “You, stay here.”
Jack heeding Maudie’s words from before did as he was told. Rust opened the door and jerked his head at Masters and Mason who both entered the room and the door was firmly closed. Jack put his ear against the door and tried to listen but the voices were muffled and indistinct. Annoyingly, he could not work out anything that was being said. He shuffled his feet nervously as he waited.
Without warning the door opened violently. Masters shouted at Mason, “Out!” He turned his eyes on Jack, “You, in!”
Jack saw Mason’s face as he left. The teen looked in a state of shock. His step as he walked back had none of his earlier bravado but was hesitant and cowed. Jack followed Masters inside the large room reluctantly and the heavy door banged loudly behind him making him jump. He felt like a rat caught in a trap.
Rust sat beside a small table. He was a big man whose ruddy face was scarred. He had piercing blue eyes, which were cold and calculating. There was an uncomfortable stillness as Rust surveyed the Dodger.
Jack waited.
“Come in,” said Rust in an over friendly way, which disturbed Jack and made Rust appear even more sinister as he beckoned Jack across with a seemingly amicable gesture. The feeling of being ensnared as would a fly in the sticky silken strands of a spider’s web abounded. Jack felt as if he was somehow prey to this man and in danger.
Jack moved further into the room and closer to Rust at his table. “You want something to drink?” Rust asked.
Although Jack’s mouth was dry he refused, “No, I’m fine, thanks.” He sounded stronger and more confident than he felt.
Rust, however, brushed aside Jack’s response and insisted heavily, “Course you do. Masters, get the man something to drink. Get him a man’s drink.” Although Rust’s mouth was smiling his eyes remained icy.
What Amazon readers are saying
Beautifully written
A Great Dickens spin-off
Fascinating book
Powerful, fulfilling and touching!
