When I reviewed the prequel to Moonshine, Dirty Weekend, I said that it reminded me of one of those old black-and-white films that dealt with young, working-class people as they tried to make their way in a very different world to the one their parents had known. Moonshine is similar in that respect – although the film may now be in colour, as we have reached 1969, the year of the first moon landing.

Terry and Carol-Anne are now married and living in a flat above a greengrocer’s with their daughter, Donna. Carol-Anne works a few hours a week at a shop, and Terry is working hard to learn “The Knowledge” so that he can achieve his dream of becoming a cab driver, just like his dad and brothers.

When the young couple decide to go away for a two-week break in a caravan on the Devon coast, the idea is that they will have a second honeymoon. But Carol-Anne won’t leave Donna behind, even with her devoted gran, and then Beverly, Carol-Anne’s younger sister, pleads to be allowed to join them. Carol-Anne can’t refuse, which doesn’t exactly thrill Terry. He’s even more put out to discover that his best mate, Mark, and Mark’s girlfriend Vicki, have booked a caravan on the same park for the same fortnight. Some second honeymoon this is going to be! However, Terry soon cheers up. Being away with another couple might be fun, and at least there are babysitters on hand.

The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, as they say, and the much-longed-for holiday doesn’t quite go according to plan.

For Mark, the whole point of the holiday is to give him and his gorgeous girlfriend the chance to finally “do the deed”. With Vicki about to start teacher-training in Birmingham, the two of them face separation for many months. They need to make a commitment to each other before she leaves, because what if she decides that long-distance relationships don’t work? When a twist of fate means Vicki is unable to join them on the holiday, Mark considers dropping out, too, but is persuaded to go with his friends, while Vicki recuperates at home with her mum and dad. He can’t help worrying, though. He loves Vicki, but do they really have a chance of keeping their relationship alive when they will be living so far apart?

Carol-Anne is disappointed not to have Vicki’s company, but at least she has Beverly. Her little sister, though, has been behaving oddly lately. She’s developed a crush on some lad, and it seems to be having a weird effect on her. Maybe two weeks away from the object of her affections will help her to put it all in perspective. She may even have a nice holiday romance, which will help her forget all about this crush. At least, that’s what Carol-Anne hopes for.

Terry is hoping for some passionate encounters with his beloved wife. He wants this to be a holiday to remember. If only his own guilty secret wasn’t there in the back of his mind, nagging away at him and demanding resolution.

In glorious Devon, it seems there is nothing ahead of them except two weeks of  sunshine, lazy days on the beach, sightseeing, and nights out at the clubhouse.  But on the night of the Apollo landing, as the world watches in awe the momentous events happening in the skies, back on earth, in a little caravan park in Devon, events are unfurling that will have a greater impact on the friends than the moon landing ever could.

One bad decision will tear couples apart, threaten friendships, and force the four adults to take sides. With tensions high, the only way forward is for someone to tell the truth. But will that person have the courage? And will the pressure they’re under force Terry and Carol-Anne and Mark and Vicki apart, or do they have what it takes to weather the storm?

Full of gorgeous detail, and with a real sixties vibe, this novel is a treat. I love all Deirdre Palmer’s books, but Dirty Weekend and Moonshine are probably my favourites of hers. It’s a pleasure to hang out with her characters and wallow in nostalgia. She recreates the era so beautifully, it really is as if you’re watching an old film and can see it all playing out in front of your eyes. Great characterisation, wonderful writing, and a free trip back to the sixties. What more could anyone ask for? 5/5

You can buy Moonshine here.