Book series inspired by Wolverhampton's Beatties draws to a close...at least for now
After releasing the sixth instalment of her heart-warming wartime saga, Joanna Toye is saying a fond farewell to her beloved characters - at least for now.
Her Shop Girls and Victory Girls books, inspired by Wolverhampton's famous department store, Beatties, have won fans all over the globe.
But Jo says the time has come to draw the series to a close - although she hasn't completely ruled out catching up with best friends Lily, Beryl and Gladys again in the future.
"I know them like my own family. I could happily write about these characters for the rest of my life and the rest of theirs, but for now, this seems to be a natural ending and a good place to pause," she tells Weekend.
The former scriptwriter for radio drama The Archers was first inspired to start writing the series after visiting an exhibition that showcased the history of Beatties and provided a fascinating insight into the department store's heyday.
Her debut novel, A Store At War, told the story of a young girl called Lily who gets a job as a junior in department store Marlow’s in 1941.
The following books in the series have followed Lily, her friends Beryl and Gladys and colleagues at Marlow’s as they deal with the challenges of wartime as well as their own relationships and family issues.
The latest chapter, Wedding Bells for the Victory Girls, is set once again in the fictional town of Hinton, which Jo says is based around Wolverhampton, Dudley and Tipton, in June 1945.
