‘The Tinderbox’ by Jo Bannister.
Published by ISIS Audio Books.
ISBN 978-1-84559-723-8  (8 Cassettes/CD’s)
Read by Gordon Griffin

The Tinderbox is a standalone novel by Jo Bannister and tells the story of Laurence Schofield, whose daughter mysteriously vanishes from the middle of Birmingham.  Six years have passed before there is a possible sighting of the girl by a TV crew as they film a group of homeless people.  But is it actually her?  Despite not being sure, Schofield sets off to London to track her down and to find out whether or not the girl is in fact his missing daughter.  The London that he comes across is not the London that visitors see. It is rough, deadly and dark. It is a London where there are different rules that have to be obeyed if you want to survive.  It is unsurprising that it is known as the ‘Tinderbox’.  As Schofield frantically tries to determine whether the girl may or may not be his daughter, he finds himself being rescued by a teenage boy escaping from his own family woes who is the only one willing to help Schofield survive and navigate the rough territory that he discovers himself in. 

The Tinderbox is quite a poignant novel where a still-bereaving father's world is turned upside down and he is forced to make some hard moral choices as a result. What takes place gives Schofield a number of important lessons not solely about himself but also the world that is around him.

The Tinderbox is ably read by Gordon Griffin who in his own vivid way manages to evoke the sense of despair and sorrow along with the anger felt by all concerned in the book.  His sense of timing as he narrates the story is excellent and as a reader you can fully understand the angst (via the narrator) as the story reaches its climax.  The Tinderbox has a mesmerising plot that intrigues the reader from the start and combined with a gritty and disturbing look at the world of the homeless, it makes this a novel that is certainly worth listening to.

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Ayo Onatade