Hayling Cycle
2 primary works
Book 1
For fourteen-year-old Alix, life on Hayling Island off the coast of England seems insulated from problems such as war, terrorism and refugees. But then, one day at the beach, Alix and her friend Samir pull a drowning man out of the incoming tide.
Mohammed, an illegal immigrant and student, has been tortured by rebels in Iraq for helping the allied forces and has spent all his money to escape. Desperate not to be deported, Mohammed's destiny now lies in Alix's hands, and she is faced with the biggest moral dilemma of her life. Should she notify the authorities or try to protect Mohammed? How can she keep him safe?
Exciting and thought-provoking, this novel provides a compelling, personal look at a contemporary issue, inspired by true stories and informed by the author's work with refugees and asylum seekers.
Nominated for the Carnegie Medal.
Book 2
If Jemma had lived, none of this would have happened. I'd have been too busy to get dragged into this filthy, illegal business...' Since Lindy's baby sister died, her family have been caught in a downward spiral. Her brothers are in prison and her parents have given up. Soon Lindy is out of her depth too, caught in the centre of an international drugs ring, with no way out. Then Lindy finds help from an unexpected ally: weird, mute Karl from school, and together they plan a daring and desperate escape. But when you're in this deep, can you ever be free? Touching, surprising and painfully honest, Illegal is the second in a cycle of three novels by Miriam Halahmy, and the follow up to her acclaimed first novel, Hidden.