The Widow Ginger
By Pip Granger  

     Young Rose's life is a happy uneventful one living with her adopted parents, Uncle Bert and Auntie Maggie, living above their cafe in Soho. It is 1950 and England is slowly recovering from World War II. Suddenly this is all changed. Rose's school friend, Jenny, becomes ill; no one knows what the problem is and she doesn't seem to be getting any better. Luigi, the local Lothario, has finally found the woman he loves but unfortunately she doesn't return his love. For no reason that Rose can see, Uncle Bert is at odds with his longtime pal, Maltese Joe. Rose may be about to discover who her real father is. Most upsetting of all is the arrival of Widow Ginger, an ex-GI wartime crony of Uncle Bert. He is nosing around the area. During wartime, loads of US Army stores ended in the Black Market with the assistance of Uncle Bert, Maltese Joe and the Widow Ginger. As a result Ginger spent time in a military prison. Now released, he is in Soho looking for his share of the profits from these illegal activities. He is creating many threatening incidents.

     This sequel to Not All Tart Are Apple continues Rose's narrative of her life in post war London in an unsentimental and quite adult manner. She gives a realistic picture of the spirit of the people during this time of adjustment from the rigors of wartime. We meet again the various eccentric characters inhabiting this Soho district of London who add color, life and humor to the story.

     There is a glossary included that enables the reader to better understand some of the distinctive British words.