Real Gone Kid: 1980s Gritty, Nostalgic, Scottish, Coming-of-Age Story

Everyone deserves to feel safe. It’s 1984. Superpowers for girls and women exist only on TV.

Aileen Murphy struggles to make sense of her life in a working-class Scottish steel town. She dreams of escaping the sectarian bullying she has kept secret; then, the gorgeous Steve Henderson enters her world.

When her vulnerable younger sister becomes the next target of the bullies, Aileen knows she must make a stand. Will Steve’s proposition to secretly teach Aileen her own ‘superpower’ save her and her sister? And can Aileen find the courage to fight for her dreams – to feel safe – and to be accepted for who she is?

Real Gone Kid is the feel-good, first novel in the adult, coming-of-age, Raven Craig series, set in 1980s industrial Scotland.

★★★★★ 'The characters fizz off the page with an effervescence that made us smile.' Cheshire Novel Prize

★★★★★ ‘This book is so beautifully written and really captures Scotland in the 1980s. One of the best debut novels I have ever read.’ Nicole Johnston

★★★★★ ‘Kate’s narrative is full of emotion and this is the first time I shed a tear over a book since I read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.’ Haffi Olafsson

★★★★★ ‘This book is an absolute joy to read. With its pop references and precise descriptions, Kate transports us back to the heady 1980s.’ Lynne Walker

★★★★★ 'I can't wait for the sequel. It had everything for me: romance, laughter, throwback to the eighties, and realistic boxing scenes.' Colin M

★★★★★ 'The combination of amazing characters, wonderful music references and the era make this book a glorious read!' Wendy R

© 2024 Steel Thistle Press Ltd (Audiobook): 9781915847041

Release date

Audiobook: 1 January 2024