Following on from Hidden, Illegal is the second novel in Miriam Halahmy’s compelling series set on Hayling Island.

Returning to the pebble-strewn shores, Halahmy turns the spotlight on Lindy, a lonely, desperate teenager with the world on her shoulders and no one to turn to.

Her baby sister is dead, her older brothers are in prison and her mum and dad have seemingly given up hope. With no real friends and the target of bullies, Lindy finds comfort in a sharp blade against her skin.

Things go from bad to worse as a part-time job winds her up selling cocaine for her aggressive “cuz”. Before she knows it Lindy is caught up in a web of sin and guilt.

Then she meets Karl – the mute boy from school, fittingly nicknamed “the boy who never speaks”. The pair embark on a gripping journey of friendship, trust and romance.

But this isn’t simply a novel of boy meets girl – Halahmy’s writing has a biting reality with the ability to make you grimace, make you laugh and make you cry.

Lindy is a loner who cuts herself, deals drugs and shouts at her teachers. Karl is an outsider who enjoys breaking into people’s property, yet shies away from any form of confrontation. Despite their troubled lives, the story remains grounded by Halahmy’s ability to make the reader understand and empathise with her characters.

As a former teacher, Halahmy has worked with young people with special needs and severe emotional and behavioural problems, and this is plainly apparent in the novel. She paints the characters and their issues so vividly that it gives them life and meaning far beyond the page.

In terms of the plot, there are some events which are arguably more than coincidental. Karl often has a knack of turning up just at the right time, and the occasional friend of a friend crops up with a way to make things suddenly go to plan.

Others may also protest at the somewhat clichéd cast – a popular, skinny girl at school, a teacher who pushes you to be the best you can be, and the parents who never listen – but this is where Halahmy shows true skill. She builds upon these clichés, developing characters which are comfortingly genuine.

One of the most convincing relationships is between Lindy and her nine-year-old brother Sean. She is frequently annoyed at him, telling him to “scram” or stop bothering her, but they are often heart-warmingly affectionate towards one another.

The small things Sean does for Lindy, like bringing her a can of coke from his friend’s party or keeping her fish and chips warm in the oven are touchingly poignant.

In some novels it’s the characters rather than the plot that stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page. Lindy, Karl and Sean have exactly that impact.

Although aimed at a younger reader, Illegal is a gripping story for adults as well. It maintains a fast pace and high-drama, with a chilling undertone leaving the reader guessing what’s going to happen right to the very end.