Set in County Durham in 1998 following the closure of the pits, Underdogs tells a compelling story of love, loss, and hope centered around an underground dog racing operation. Experience a forgotten way of life through the eyes of a community down on its luck, fighting to turn things around.

Praise for Underdogs

• "Beautiful, heartbreaking, uplifting, funny . . . a story of love, of loss, of hope; of life and how to live it even when the chips are down" - JENNY KNIGHT, author of Wild Moon Rising
• "Told with a full-blooded voice that is as quick and alive as the hounds that fill its pages, Underdogs captures a forgotten way of life in a forgotten part of England with rare honesty and wit" - SCOTT PRESTON, author of The Borrowed Hills

Synopsis

In 1998 County Durham, charismatic ex-miner Bertie runs an underground gambling ring at the local dog track, offering down-on-their-luck men a chance to change their fortunes. Reg's ten-year-old son, George, is worried about his father, who hasn't been the same since his wife died, especially with ominous letters arriving. When Bertie offers Reg and George the chance to race Goldie, a beautiful fawn greyhound, they seize the opportunity. They must navigate the high-stakes world of the flapping track while confronting dark secrets from Bertie's past that threaten to destroy everything.

Specifications

• Author: Louise Powell
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Publication Date: July 2, 2026
• Print Length: 272 pages
• ISBN-13: 978-1399828819
• Dimensions: 13.4 x 2.8 x 21.4 cm
• Weight: 288 g

Discover this honest and witty novel about resilience and the gamble of a lifetime in a community struggling to survive.