When Ty witnesses a stabbing, his own life is in danger from the criminals he?s named, and he and his mum have to go into police protection. Ty has a new name, a new look and a cool new image ? life as Joe is good, especially when he gets talent spotted as a potential athletics star, special training from an attractive local celebrity and a lot of female attention. But his mum can?t cope with her new life, and the gangsters will stop at nothing to flush them from hiding. Joe?s cracking under extreme pressure, and then he meets a girl with dark secrets of her own. This wonderfully gripping and intelligent novel depicts Ty/Joe's confused sense of identity in a moving and funny story that teenage boys and girls will identify with - a remarkable debut from a great new writing talent. Full marks to everyone concerned but especially from the writer herself for a novel which is both a riveting, on-your-toes, exciting read and an intelligent and insightful presentation of some painful and important teenage issues... I cannot recommend this book too highly for all teenagers (certainly not just boys). There is going to be a sequel. I can't wait. --School Librarian A superb debut novel, written in short sharp sentences which skilfully twist and turn leaving the reader hanging on to the very end. --Carousel An ice-cold thriller about identity, pain and veracity... David writes in steely, short sentences as Joe grapples with his new school, his mother's inertia and his own deadly secret...This is a brooding novel that incorporates some shocking ideas and portrays the whole bewildering mess of Tyler's upturned life --Daily Telegraph (UK) A soberly realistic tale of knife crime, deceit and the difficulties many teenagers face as they try to work out their place in the world. An 'issues' novel, yes, but neither preachy nor worthy, just thoughtful and well crafted. --Financial Times The plot twists are captivating but it is the human drama that makes this book so haunting. -- Jewish Chronicle Keren David was brought up in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, and went to school in Hatfield. She left school at 18 and got a job as a messenger girl on a newspaper, then turned down a place to read English at university to take an apprenticeship as a junior reporter. She was freelancing as a reporter on the old Fleet Street by her mid-twenties and, after living and working in Scotland for two years, was appointed as a news editor on The Independent at the age of 27. She worked at The Independent for six years, moving from news to become a commissioning editor on the Comment pages. She and her family then went to live in Amsterdam for eight years where she was editor in chief of a photo-journalism agency. On returning to the U.K. in 2007 she decided to attend a course on writing for children at the City University. When I Was Joe started out as a project for that course. She lives in London with her husband and two children. Used Book in Good Condition