Madonna of Bolton

‘A book for anybody who feels at all marginalised, small, bullied or lost’ Claudia Winkleman

Charlie Matthews’ love story begins in a pebble-dashed house in suburban Bolton, at a time when most little boys want to grow up to be Michael Jackson, and girls want to be Princess Diana.

Remembering the Green Cross Code and getting out of football are the most important things in his life until, on his ninth birthday, Auntie Jan gives him a gift that will last a lifetime: a seven-inch single called ‘Lucky Star’. Charlie falls in love – with Madonna.

Casting the pop icon in the role of his spirit guide, Charlie draws on her audacity and ambition to help him find the courage to overcome his own obstacles and become a success in life. His obsession sees him through some tough times, but in order to be truly happy, he’ll need to find his own inner strength…

‘Shades of Billy Elliot colour this sequinned, unrepentantly Eighties tale of coming-of-age and finding your own voice’ Mail on Sunday

‘Sharply and beautifully drawn’ Sunday Times

‘A trip down memory lane around the glorious streets of Bolton – a novel with a heart as big as Moss Bank Park’ Sara Cox

‘An uplifting and nostalgic gem of a novel’ Heat

‘This book made us laugh and cry, and entertains from start to finish’ Attitude

‘A joyful tale that will move you to laughter and cheers’ The i Paper

Paperback: 416pp

Published: Wilton Square (November 2025)

ISBN: 9781783528004