The Tinderbox

The Tinderbox by Jo Bannister
Adult Mysteries - Main Level – BANNISTER


A fifteen-year-old girl goes missing after her clarinet exam. She was a happy, well-loved, cared for, upper-middle class teenager in Birmingham. It makes no sense to her family, and the police have no leads. Six years later, her brother sees a documentary in school about homeless people in an area of London called "The Tinderbox." He thinks he sees Cassie in the background, and shows it to his parents. Laurence Schoefield, their father, heads for The Tinderbox to find her.

The Tinderbox is an incredibly dangerous place. One must belong to a "family" in order to gain protection and stability. "Jonah the Loner" does not belong to a family, though, and somehow finds himself helping Laurence Schoefield try to find his daughter. Jonah and Schoefield find themselves in treacherous situations, barely escaping with their lives on more than one occasion. They have a mutual distrust of each other, and yet a loyalty they can't explain. Their relationship is one of the most interesting parts of the book.

The action is great. This book has a fast pace with enough grit to make you cringe as you feel the discomfort of its homeless characters. Will Laurence Schoefield find his daughter? Will she come home with him? Will Jonah let Schoefield help him? Will they even get out alive? You'll have to read the book to find out. Trust me - it's worth it! I'd read another book by Jo Bannister!