Walk the Walk

In the years immediately after World War 2, tens of thousands of men and women broke the law each day by betting with illegal street bookmakers. Walk The Walk is a story about growing up amongst the gambling fraternity in the fishing community of Hull, where getting an edge over the bookies, by fair means or foul, was the main preoccupation for many. Walking races, and the often frenzied betting that accompanied them, were at their height in the early 1930’s but the author has transposed the event to the era he knows best – the 1950’s – and brought together in this fictional account a host of characters. Most of those taking part have backed themselves for that one big win and bookie Hedley Doyle faces ruin if the wrong winner emerges, which is why he’s hatched a ‘get out of jail’ plan. Will it be ‘The Bounder’, a hard-bitten trawlerman, who emerges the winner? Or Dennis Batte, who thinks he’s invincible and desperately needs to succeed? Or will it be Jo Jones, the buxom barmaid with the colourful past?