'A gleeful, page-flipping read' Observer
'The ultimate summer escape' New York Times

One wrong move, one misstep, and the course of a life can be changed for ever.

Annie Perry is born beside the coal-muddied canals of the Black Country at the height of the industrial revolution. At nine years old she is sold for six guineas to the famous and feared bare-knuckle boxer Bill Perry, the Tipton Slasher. From that moment on, Annie will fight - for Bill and for her future.

A whole new world opens up to Annie, one of love, fortune and family, but also of great danger.

"A punchy historical yarn . . . [Kitson] has a fine time with Annie and the Slasher - warm, memorable creations who come punching off the page . . . Featherweight transports the reader to the tough, rapidly industrialising world of the 19th-century Black Country, with its old canals and new railways, the soot of the forges and strikes at the nail factories, via lushly detailed, rhythmical descriptions . . . A gleeful, page-flipping read . . . A rollicking tale, one you'll be glad to take a ringside seat for" - * Observer *

"Annie is a lively, appealing character and there is plenty more to enjoy in Kitson's narrative" - * Sunday Times, Best New Historical Fiction *

"The ultimate summer escape . . . Sweeping . . . Will transport you to 19th-century England" - * New York Times *

"A rollicking historical novel set in the Black Country during the Industrial Revolution . . . Offers plenty to enjoy" - * Daily Mail *

"

Kitson creates a Dickensian flavour through Black Country dialogue, a strong sense of place (a smut-blackened
industrial town), and colourful characterisation. Detailed descriptions of what goes on in the ring add suspense . . . Readers will love rooting for this great little fighter who easily punches above her weight . . . Compelling

"A wonderful novel . . . The themes of Kitson's plot also revolve around themes of rejection, lost hope, vulnerability. But in Annie it also shows us a strong woman, way ahead of her time who decides she can also turn her hand (or fists) to pugilism" - * NB Magazine *

"Praise for Sal: Kitson writes clearly and concisely . . . Sal is an ambitious and skilled novel. Literature needs more stories like this" - * Guardian *

"Daring and original . . . Manages to feel both contemporary and timeless, both heart-rending and uplifting" - * Observer *

"Sal is an inspiring novel that feels honest and fastidious. It introduces the theme of redemption and fresh beginnings without shying from the awful truth" - * Financial Times *