Shortlisted for The Branford Boase Award 2014 - June 2013 Debut of the Month
***Unsuitable for younger teens.
Red Ink is an utterly compelling coming-of-age tale about superstition, denial and family myth. Though heart-breaking it is ultimately an uplifting novel that's beautifully written and marks out this talented young author as one to watch.
When her mother is knocked down and killed by a London bus, fifteen-year-old Melon Fouraki is left with no family worth mentioning. Her mother, Maria, never did introduce Melon to a 'living, breathing' father. The indomitable Auntie Aphrodite, meanwhile, is hundreds of miles away on a farm in Crete, and is unlikely to be jumping on a plane and coming to East Finchley anytime soon. But at least Melon has 'The Story'. 'The Story' is the Fourakis family fairytale. A story is something.
Although Red Ink is billed as a coming-of-age tale, it would be a pity for older readers to dismiss it. There are so many nuances and such precise observations that Red Ink transcends categorisation. I loved it... Hope Whitmore, The Independent on Sunday
This is a wonderful book about the damage that lies and myths can ultimately do to a family and how the truth, though harsh, really can set you free. The Bookseller Children’s Bookseller’s Choice: February
Author
About Julie Mayhew
Julie Mayhew writes plays for radio and the stage. Her short stories are published in the UK and the US, and she is working on a second novel. Julie grew up in Peterborough, studied Journalism at Bournemouth University and trained as an actress at Drama Studio London. She still acts (a bit), mostly for BBC Radio 4. Home is now Hertfordshire, where she lives with her husband and two young sons. Julie Mayhew was shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award in 2014 for her debut novel, RED INK. Her second novel, the critically acclaimed THE BIG LIE, was nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal, and shortlisted for Peters Book of the Year and Shropshire Teenage Book of the Year.
Shortlisted for The Branford Boase Award 2014 - June 2013 Debut of the Month 
