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Digital Audiobook
Go Home Birdie Brown by Laura Blake

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Go Home Birdie Brown

Narrator
Sara Powell
Publisher
HarperCollins Publishers
Publish Date
18 June 2026
Run Time
11 hours 12 minutes
Format
Audiobook

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What to expect

'A tender, powerful and emotional novel … wonderfully moving' Platinum Magazine

'A vital and emotional read' Fabulous Magazine

Birdie has come too far to go quietly … A powerful and emotional novel inspired by the Windrush Scandal. This is a story about being told you don’t belong. This is a story about knowing you do. This is a story about Birdie.

Birdie Brown’s life is held together by family — her sharp-witted daughter Carmen, her son Scott who no one mentions, and five grandkids who keep her on her toes. Retirement is bingo nights, babysitting, and TV with her granddaughter Saffie — until a letter from the Home Office arrives.

It says she’s here illegally. That she must return to Jamaica — a country she hasn’t seen since childhood.

As the system threatens to erase her, Birdie must confront buried truths and fractured ties. Can she hold on to the life she built — and the family that built her?

‘Such a moving story and so well told’ *****

‘An important, compassionate and thought-provoking read’ *****

‘It’s a story with heart and life and I’d recommend it to anyone who can read’ *****

'A self-assured debut …A wonderful story of family, community, and the importance of recognising people instead of categories.' Louise Hare author of This Lovely City

'A tender, powerful and emotional novel … wonderfully moving' Platinum Magazine

'A vital and emotional read' Fabulous Magazine

Netgalley readers love Go Home Birdie Brown:

‘It’s heartbreaking but uplifting too, a … brave voice that deserves to be heard’

‘This book broke my heart’

‘An excellent book’

‘Brilliant’

Critics Review

  • 'A self-assured debut …A wonderful story of family, community, and the importance of recognising people instead of categories.' Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City
  • 'A tender, powerful and emotional novel … wonderfully moving' Platinum Magazine
  • 'A vital and emotional read' Fabulous Magazine
  • Netgalley readers love Go Home Birdie Brown:
See more reviews
  • ‘It’s heartbreaking but uplifting too, a … brave voice that deserves to be heard’
  • ‘This book broke my heart’
  • ‘Such a moving story and so well told’ *****
  • ‘An important, compassionate and thought-provoking read’ *****
  • ‘It’s a story with heart and life and I’d recommend it to anyone who can read’ *****

User Reviews

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Details

Author
Laura Blake
Narrator
Sara Powell
Duration
11 hours 12 minutes
Release Date
18 June 2026
ISBN
9780008775889
Format
Audiobook
Publisher
HarperCollins Publishers
Genre
Family saga / generational saga fiction, Narrative theme: social issues / social problems, Narrative theme: politics / economics, Narrative theme: identity / belonging, Narrative theme: diversity, equity, equality, inclusion, Narrative theme: journeys and voyages, Family life fiction / Stories about family

Synopsis

'A tender, powerful and emotional novel … wonderfully moving' Platinum Magazine 'A vital and emotional read' Fabulous Magazine Birdie has come too far to go quietly … A powerful and emotional novel inspired by the Windrush Scandal. This is a story about being told you don’t belong. This is a story about knowing you do. This is a story about Birdie. Birdie Brown’s life is held together by family — her sharp-witted daughter Carmen, her son Scott who no one mentions, and five grandkids who keep her on her toes. Retirement is bingo nights, babysitting, and TV with her granddaughter Saffie — until a letter from the Home Office arrives. It says she’s here illegally. That she must return to Jamaica — a country she hasn’t seen since childhood. As the system threatens to erase her, Birdie must confront buried truths and fractured ties. Can she hold on to the life she built — and the family that built her? ‘Such a moving story and so well told’ ***** ‘An important, compassionate and thought-provoking read’ ***** ‘It’s a story with heart and life and I’d recommend it to anyone who can read’ ***** 'A self-assured debut …A wonderful story of family, community, and the importance of recognising people instead of categories.' Louise Hare author of This Lovely City 'A tender, powerful and emotional novel … wonderfully moving' Platinum Magazine 'A vital and emotional read' Fabulous Magazine Netgalley readers love Go Home Birdie Brown: ‘It’s heartbreaking but uplifting too, a … brave voice that deserves to be heard’ ‘This book broke my heart’ ‘An excellent book’ ‘Brilliant’

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