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Ada the Coster Girl
When twelve-year-old Ada Cooper's elder sister, Connie, goes mysteriously missing overnight, Ada and her younger brother, Sam, are forced to fend for themselves until they find her again. Connie Cooper has taken charge of the children since their parents both passed away from consumption a few months previously.
Ada and Sam's only allies are Mrs Adler and her son, Jakob, who live in the same dilapidated apartment building in rooms across the landing from them. Up until now, Connie's job at the match factory is the only thing that's kept the family together but now the children are forced to fend for themselves when the rent man, Mr Winterbourne, demands his money, threatening them with internment at the workhouse for non payment. Forced to flee from the man who attacks her when she tries to prevent him from taking her brother, Ada is discovered by Maggie Donovan, a salt of the earth character who lives in a ramshackle house beneath the railway arches. The Donovans are a coster mongering family who help Ada and her brother by providing them with food and shelter, and also set Ada up with a barrow of her own to sell fruit and veg on the streets by day and flowers outside the theatres by night.
As all this is going on, in the background is the threat of an evil stalker of lone females known as “Jack the Ripper” who eviscerates his victims in the most despicable fashion during what would later be dubbed by the press as “The Autumn of Terror”.
Will Ada and Sam ever reunite with their sister, Connie? And will they both be able to survive the savage streets? Or will Ada's dream of one day owning her own flower shop turn into a nightmare for her?
Ada and Sam's only allies are Mrs Adler and her son, Jakob, who live in the same dilapidated apartment building in rooms across the landing from them. Up until now, Connie's job at the match factory is the only thing that's kept the family together but now the children are forced to fend for themselves when the rent man, Mr Winterbourne, demands his money, threatening them with internment at the workhouse for non payment. Forced to flee from the man who attacks her when she tries to prevent him from taking her brother, Ada is discovered by Maggie Donovan, a salt of the earth character who lives in a ramshackle house beneath the railway arches. The Donovans are a coster mongering family who help Ada and her brother by providing them with food and shelter, and also set Ada up with a barrow of her own to sell fruit and veg on the streets by day and flowers outside the theatres by night.
As all this is going on, in the background is the threat of an evil stalker of lone females known as “Jack the Ripper” who eviscerates his victims in the most despicable fashion during what would later be dubbed by the press as “The Autumn of Terror”.
Will Ada and Sam ever reunite with their sister, Connie? And will they both be able to survive the savage streets? Or will Ada's dream of one day owning her own flower shop turn into a nightmare for her?
176 pages, Paperback
Published June 15, 2021
About the author
Lynette Rees
36 books67 followers"My favourite author - this lady has just overtaken Catherine Cookson - I can't wait to read more!" ~ Amazon Reviewer
Lynette Rees lives in Wales and has been writing since she was a child. She's in the fortunate position of being a hybrid author - as well as independently publishing some of her novels, she's also published with Quercus Books/Hachette UK. Currently, her most popular novels with readers are: The Governess, Ada the Coster Girl, The Cobbler's Wife and The Ragged Urchin.
Lynette's historical fiction novel, 'The Workhouse Waif', hit the number one spot on the Amazon Kindle bestseller list in 'Victorian Historical Romance' during October of 2016 - it remains one of her favourite books to date. Much to her delight at the time, she was contacted by the commissioning editor of Quercus Books who had downloaded the book from Amazon Prime and loved the story so much that she devoured it all in one sitting! The Workhouse Waif was one of the first books ever enrolled on the then, new Amazon Prime Reading programme. The commissioning editor went on to offer Lynette a traditional publishing deal for that book and three others in the series which were published during 2018 and 2019.
Lynette enjoys the freedom of writing in a variety of genres including: crime fiction and contemporary romance, though her first love is historical fiction which complements her interest in local history and genealogy. When she's not writing, or even when she is writing, Lynette enjoys a glass of wine and the odd piece of chocolate as she creates stories where the characters guide her hand. She honestly has no idea how a story will turn out until the characters tell their own tales in their own unique ways.
The most important thing to Lynette is her family and her stories illustrate this with their warm characters who often show a great deal of compassion for others and the plight they find themselves in.
Praise for Lynette Rees:
The Matchgirl: "Beautifully written and imagined, this is both an entertaining story and a fascinating slice of life-changing history..." - book review - The Lancashire Post
Beneath a Sicilian Sun (retitled: Seduced by the Sicilian): "I was seeing everything described in this. This story is also very emotional and touching with everything that happens. The emotions that they feel are expressed beautifully..." - Sanfrancisco Review of Books
Lynette Rees lives in Wales and has been writing since she was a child. She's in the fortunate position of being a hybrid author - as well as independently publishing some of her novels, she's also published with Quercus Books/Hachette UK. Currently, her most popular novels with readers are: The Governess, Ada the Coster Girl, The Cobbler's Wife and The Ragged Urchin.
Lynette's historical fiction novel, 'The Workhouse Waif', hit the number one spot on the Amazon Kindle bestseller list in 'Victorian Historical Romance' during October of 2016 - it remains one of her favourite books to date. Much to her delight at the time, she was contacted by the commissioning editor of Quercus Books who had downloaded the book from Amazon Prime and loved the story so much that she devoured it all in one sitting! The Workhouse Waif was one of the first books ever enrolled on the then, new Amazon Prime Reading programme. The commissioning editor went on to offer Lynette a traditional publishing deal for that book and three others in the series which were published during 2018 and 2019.
Lynette enjoys the freedom of writing in a variety of genres including: crime fiction and contemporary romance, though her first love is historical fiction which complements her interest in local history and genealogy. When she's not writing, or even when she is writing, Lynette enjoys a glass of wine and the odd piece of chocolate as she creates stories where the characters guide her hand. She honestly has no idea how a story will turn out until the characters tell their own tales in their own unique ways.
The most important thing to Lynette is her family and her stories illustrate this with their warm characters who often show a great deal of compassion for others and the plight they find themselves in.
Praise for Lynette Rees:
The Matchgirl: "Beautifully written and imagined, this is both an entertaining story and a fascinating slice of life-changing history..." - book review - The Lancashire Post
Beneath a Sicilian Sun (retitled: Seduced by the Sicilian): "I was seeing everything described in this. This story is also very emotional and touching with everything that happens. The emotions that they feel are expressed beautifully..." - Sanfrancisco Review of Books
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 29, 2021
If you have read this author's first saga Workhouse Waif you will love this book Ada the Coster Girl.
Whitechapel London 1888 the Cooper family Connie, Ada and brother Sam are orphans getting by on pittance that Connie earns at Bryant and May match factory making ends meet to pay the rent to Mr Winterbourne and feed themselves. Connie goes out one night for shopping and never returns she had been spotted at a pub and Mrs Adler son Jakob sets out to look for her.
Winterbourne is banging for the rent and turfs out both Ada and Sam going to send them to the Whitechapel and Spitalfields workhouse, and Maggie Donovan bless her heart rescues them both and takes them in with her sons Billy and Davy and along with youngest Danny, Ada becomes a coster girl selling fruit and veg and flower posies and button holes outside the theatre at night," sweet blooms for your sweetheart for a penny."
her eyes are always searching for her sister Connie, as the Whitechapel murderer hit on the ladies of the night, struck with a knife, the killer is now dubbed as Jack the Ripper and women never go out alone.
What a delightful story, it's such a gripping tale that will pull at your heart strings as I kept saying just one more chapter that will capture all readers, such an inspirational book that I just couldn't fault right till the end. 5***** tops from me one of my favourite this year.
Whitechapel London 1888 the Cooper family Connie, Ada and brother Sam are orphans getting by on pittance that Connie earns at Bryant and May match factory making ends meet to pay the rent to Mr Winterbourne and feed themselves. Connie goes out one night for shopping and never returns she had been spotted at a pub and Mrs Adler son Jakob sets out to look for her.
Winterbourne is banging for the rent and turfs out both Ada and Sam going to send them to the Whitechapel and Spitalfields workhouse, and Maggie Donovan bless her heart rescues them both and takes them in with her sons Billy and Davy and along with youngest Danny, Ada becomes a coster girl selling fruit and veg and flower posies and button holes outside the theatre at night," sweet blooms for your sweetheart for a penny."
her eyes are always searching for her sister Connie, as the Whitechapel murderer hit on the ladies of the night, struck with a knife, the killer is now dubbed as Jack the Ripper and women never go out alone.
What a delightful story, it's such a gripping tale that will pull at your heart strings as I kept saying just one more chapter that will capture all readers, such an inspirational book that I just couldn't fault right till the end. 5***** tops from me one of my favourite this year.
July 15, 2021
Ada
Ada lived with her sister Connie and brother Sam it was hard but they survived then one day Connie dissapeared. Ada and Sam looked everywhere for her with the help of neighbour Jacob but she wasn't to be found. Then there landlord threw them out and tried to take them to the workhouse but he tried to bundle Sam into a coach. When a lady saw Ada crying she asked why and Ada told her and the lady whistled and 2 grown lads appeared and were told what happened. That is only the start of it but its a 5 star read not to missed I loved it x
Ada lived with her sister Connie and brother Sam it was hard but they survived then one day Connie dissapeared. Ada and Sam looked everywhere for her with the help of neighbour Jacob but she wasn't to be found. Then there landlord threw them out and tried to take them to the workhouse but he tried to bundle Sam into a coach. When a lady saw Ada crying she asked why and Ada told her and the lady whistled and 2 grown lads appeared and were told what happened. That is only the start of it but its a 5 star read not to missed I loved it x
November 7, 2025
Captivating
Really enjoyed this one, of course I've liked all the books I've read of hers. Easy to get attached to the characters. The children are all very resourceful and seem to get themselves out of sticky situations, unlike Ada's much older sister Connie, who makes foolish decisions trusting strangers and following pipe dreams and ends up being the victim. I really would have liked there to be more about Jack the ripper. Course I have my own guesses as to who he might have been.
Really enjoyed this one, of course I've liked all the books I've read of hers. Easy to get attached to the characters. The children are all very resourceful and seem to get themselves out of sticky situations, unlike Ada's much older sister Connie, who makes foolish decisions trusting strangers and following pipe dreams and ends up being the victim. I really would have liked there to be more about Jack the ripper. Course I have my own guesses as to who he might have been.
July 1, 2021
This book is a genuine Victorian Story that has been well written and thoroughly researched by Lynette Rees. This story is about East End families in the era surrounding Jack the Ripper era I will not give to much of the story away, as it is a must read. Worth the ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I have given it.
January 25, 2026
This Was an excellent book
I really enjoyed this this book It was excellent. It was so well written . I do like these books
I really enjoyed this this book It was excellent. It was so well written . I do like these books
July 27, 2021
Eastgate Gate Street clock Chester.
I did enjoy this book BUT the front cover photo was definitely not a London place. It is more like the clock on the Roman Walls in Eastgate Street Chester
I did enjoy this book BUT the front cover photo was definitely not a London place. It is more like the clock on the Roman Walls in Eastgate Street Chester
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews