Roger Marriott

East Of Acton (Old Dog)

Spoofing the title of the James Dean film East of Eden is Roger Marriott’s cult fiction novel. Set in working class West London during 1981, Ray Martin has evolved into a sharp dressed young Mod, following a brief dalliance as a punk. Which itself was out of necessity to avoid being mocked by schoolmates on a wear your own clothes day! We follow Ray’s exploits, at times on his LI125 Lammy, christened Lilly, through countless typical rites of passage happenings. His home life isn’t ideal, it’s barely adequate, though like countless other teens of the period, Ray is a survivor. Unpredictable and bruising conflicts with his mum’s boyfriend, which intersperse and even interfere with his own life, crank his survival instincts almost to breaking point. East of Acton races along at a hi-octane pace, with an unexpected twist at the conclusion.