Joolz Denby Libri

A dark psycholgical thriller from a brilliant new talent, set in the out-on-the-edge world of alternative comedy. Meet Lenny Bruce in a Dress (aka Jamie Gee), an inspirational stand-up comic with enough cutting edge to rival Boadicea. The punters love her -- they think she's tough and in control, but they don't know the real Jamie. Inside she's lost, vulnerable and desperate for love -- something Lily Carlson finds out when she becomes her best friend and then her manager. And sassy, smart-talking, ambitious Lily soon realizes that looking after Jamie means more than just booking gigs -- it's a lifetime's commitment. Lily's up for it , though, even when she can no longer ignore the fact that Jamie's fatal flaw is men. The victim of a brutal past, she has an unerring ability to pick Mr Wrong, and, as Jamie lurches from one bastard to the next, Lily and beautiful Asian transvestite Mojo do the damage-limitation thing, making a sanctuary of their rundown old house. But they'd all reckoned without Sean Powers, a vicious psychopath with the face and body of a god, who threatens to smash the menage a trois that sustains them. It's easy to see what makes Jamie fall so hard for Sean, but what's in it for him? And what does he really want from her? Dark, edgy and utterly convincing, Stone Baby is set to become the cult read of the year.

Set against the backdrop of a coastal resort in Cornwall, the narrative intertwines themes of class struggle and romance, creating a vibrant tapestry of mayhem. The characters navigate their relationships amidst social tensions, revealing the complexities of love and ambition in a picturesque yet tumultuous setting. The story explores how personal desires collide with societal expectations, leading to unexpected consequences and dramatic encounters.

A True Account of the Curious Mystery of Miss Lydia Larkin and the Widow Marvell is a delightful tale of magic lingering in the modern world. Elderly Miss Larkin is thrilled to finally buy an ordinary house in London's suburbs despite the neighbours fairy lights and dubious reputation of the area. She settles in nicely along with her oversized black cat quickly befriending the Widow Marvell. Yet Miss Larkin hides a secret that she is careful to protect until Joey, one of the children who roams the street, is threatened first by an abusive step father and then by his mother's fanatical worship of the strange Ray Lokey.

The Pride of Lions shows Joolz in a new light. She's now as much a story-teller as a performance poet. Her powerful accounts of life in the modern city are as compelling as the stories of the ancients. In her gripping tales of self-destruction, death and desolation, cruelty is mental and violence happens in the home. And yet, even in a world of trapped lives, injustice and betrayal, not all hopes are blighted, and there is some redemption, however frail, through love.