Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
The Girl in the City (Leah King Book 1) Kindle Edition
When Leah takes a bag of salvage from a dying stranger, she and her father are plunged into the world of Transport and its war against the terrorist organization, TRACE.
As Transport closes in, Leah will need to decide who can she trust, and how far she’s prepared to go so save her father’s life.
The Girl in the City is the first book in a thrilling dystopian science fiction trilogy set in Michael Bunker’s world of Pennsylvania.
Buy The Girl in the City today and join the fight!
Shop this series
See full series-
All 3$12.97
-
All 3$12.97
This option includes 3 books.
Customers also bought or read
- The Haunting of Bechdel Mansion (A Riveting Haunted House Mystery Series Book 1)Kindle Edition$3.99$3.99
- Secrets of the Unseen: A Riveting Small Town Haunted House Mystery Thriller BoxsetKindle Edition$6.99$6.99
- Smuggler's Valor: A Sci-fi Action Adventure (Reese Daniels Smuggler Series Book 1)Kindle Edition$0.99$0.99
- Admit to Mayhem: Lillian Dove Mystery, Book One (Lillian Dove Mystery Series 1)Kindle Edition$4.99$4.99
Customers who bought this item also bought
Product details
- ASIN : B00SEVP6ME
- Publisher : (February 2, 2015)
- Publication date : February 2, 2015
- Language : English
- File size : 4.5 MB
- Simultaneous device usage : Unlimited
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 78 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,589,597 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,606 in Teen & Young Adult Sci-Fi Action & Adventure eBooks
- #3,824 in Teen & Young Adult Dystopian eBooks
- #6,827 in Teen & Young Adult Dystopian
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Originally born near Oxford, England, Philip Harris now lives on the West Coast of Canada where he uses his weird mix of creative and technical abilities to write dark speculative fiction and design video games. Sometimes at the same time.
His first publication, Letter From a Victim, appeared in the award winning magazine, Peeping Tom, in 1995. Since then, his short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines including The Jurassic Chronicles, Tales from the Canyons of the Damned, Uncommon Minds, and The Anthology of European SF. His adaptation of his short story, Pod Fifteen, won Best First Time Screenwriter (Short) at the 2024 Prague Screenplay Awards.
Not content with just writing short fiction, his published novels include the Serial Killer Z series, The Leah King Trilogy, and an homage to the old pulp science fiction serials – Glitch Mitchell and the Unseen Planet.
Philip is also co-chair of the Greater Vancouver Chapter of the Horror Writers Association, won Most Improved Player for his soccer goalkeeping performance at Dashwood Primary School, and has worked as security for Darth Vader.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the storyline intriguing and engaging. The book is described as an exciting, enjoyable read with a lively writing style that provides detailed descriptions of the setting and characters. Readers appreciate the well-developed characters and their courage and bravery despite being scared. The pace is described as nice and rushed, keeping them hooked until the end.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the story length. They find the character development intriguing and the cliffhanger thrilling. The book is described as an entertaining near future post-apocalyptic adventure with action-packed scenes. Readers praise the ending as well done and consider it a must-read for fans of dystopian fiction.
"...It is dark and gritty, and filled with shadows, intrigue, and danger starting with Leah running for her life in the very first scene...." Read more
"...This story has more twists and turns than fusilli, and I couldn't put it down. In fact, I think I may be reading it again...." Read more
"...He focuses on Leah and the story is more powerful because of that. He also did a wonderful job with actually ending the story...." Read more
"Reasonably entertaining near future, post-apocalytic adventure...." Read more
Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable to read. They say it keeps their interest with fast-paced action and an interesting start.
"Interesting, well written but way too short! Thanks god there are 2 more novels to this trilogy. Highly recommend the 3 of them!" Read more
"...Wrong is wrong, sure, and it made the read extremely interesting..." Read more
"...It was an ok way to pass the time, but I wouldn't say I am invested enough to continue wth the other books." Read more
"...and delve into the story's world's background but the author did a good job and made me want to read more to know how the world works and where the..." Read more
Customers enjoy the writing style. They find the descriptions detailed and relatable. The author's descriptions of the city, struggles, and terrain are captivating. The story slowly unfolds throughout the pages.
"Interesting, well written but way too short! Thanks god there are 2 more novels to this trilogy. Highly recommend the 3 of them!" Read more
"This story is too big to fit in its container. The writing itself is fine with some very detailed and interesting descriptions of where actions take..." Read more
"...emotions, and that is what made her so real to me, and by default, so relatable...." Read more
"While the writing style is lively, this set of chapters is a waste of time unless you plan to buy all 3...." Read more
Customers find the characters well-developed and like Leah's courage and bravery despite being scared. The setting is interesting and the pace of action nonstop.
"Phil does it again with a rich world and strong characters in such a short amount of time. I'd love to hear what happened next..." Read more
"...Leah is a great character, and I'll be reading the other two books to see how she does." Read more
"...she should never have had to be in. Action packed. Filled with completely believable characters...." Read more
"...The setting was interesting the characters well developed and the pace of action nonstop. I look forward to reading the next book" Read more
Customers appreciate the book's brisk pace. They find it engaging and want to know what happens next.
"This is a very quick read. The story scarcely pauses, rushing the reader along...." Read more
"...setting was interesting the characters well developed and the pace of action nonstop. I look forward to reading the next book" Read more
"...Well written, nice pace, and I can't wait to read what happens to Our heroine Leah." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2018By night, Leah King scavenges through the backways of her city and the surrounding wastelands for items that her father can trade for food, clothing, and other essentials. After one such foray, she finds herself in the middle of an attack on a young man by the Transport Authority (the city’s governing and enforcement entity.) As he lays dying, the young man pushes the leather bag he’s carrying toward Leah with a whispered “Please …” for her to take it.
Hoping for some good salvage, Leah takes it to her father. But when they open it, they find only one item – a green rectangular object resembling a circuit board encased entirely in clear plastic and marked with strange symbols. An exhausted Leah retreats to her bed, but before she can fall asleep, she overhears her father talking to someone on the phone and leave the house.
Later, when he has still not returned, she slips out to try and find something she can salvage. She is caught stealing from the food wagon of an old Amish man who instead of turning her over to the Transport Authority officials urges her to keep the food and tells her where he can be found while he’s in the city should she get into any trouble.
She returns home to find it being ransacked by Transport Authority and her father, in their custody, being questioned and accused of being a member of TRACE, the terrorist organization currently fighting the Transport Authority. From what she overhears from the Transport Authority leader, Leah surmises they are looking for the strange object she’d gotten earlier.
When everyone leaves, she removes it to her secret hiding place located in the tunnels beneath the city, evading a scarred-faced woman who doggedly tried to follow her as she made her way through the neighborhoods, market, and back alleys to her destination. Desperate to free her father from the Transport Authority, she goes to the temporary lodgings of the old Amish man where she learns the significance and purpose of the strange object.
This introductory story by Philip Harris is an exciting setup for his "Leah King" series. Though short, a lot of ground is covered in building Leah’s world and the characters that populate it. It is dark and gritty, and filled with shadows, intrigue, and danger starting with Leah running for her life in the very first scene. I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in the series, "The Girl in the Wilderness." This book is recommended for those that like young adult post-apocalyptic/dystopian tales.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2020Interesting, well written but way too short! Thanks god there are 2 more novels to this trilogy. Highly recommend the 3 of them!
- Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2016This story is too big to fit in its container. The writing itself is fine with some very detailed and interesting descriptions of where actions take place. When Leah is escaping through difficult terrain, there is good description of the terrain as well as descriptions of Leah’s physical and mental reactions as she attempts to survive.
This is a starter for a book; it is not really a stand-alone tale because it in no way answers any questions a reader would logically have. How did this world come about? Are Wild Ones actually cannibals? I wanted to know more about this group.
How did Buddhists and Amish end up in the same story? At a minimum there has to be a connection between them and the rest of the non-Amish, non-Buddhist community. We have an idea of what the Amish do; they produce food. What do the Buddhists contribute? What is the religion of everyone else, like Leah?
Then there is traitor Katherine. Traitors are always interesting because we are never sure where their loyalties lie … today. This character is not developed at all.
At the end of the day it is as if we are looking at a writer’s work in progress. I will look for some of his other work.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2015This is one of my "I picked it up because of the cover" reads. I'm shallow like that. But to be fair, a lot of times I find the best books inside, so the method has been working for me ;) What I enjoyed most about this book, however, wasn't the art on the outside, but the art on the inside. More specifically, the main character, fifteen-year-old Leah. Perhaps you can say I saw a bit of my own younger self in her. Okay, so maybe I wasn't a thief who stole from the likes of the Wild Ones, but I can understand her desperation to get by while feeling as though your every move is being watched (and it probably is). I think it's for that reason that I actually felt bad for Leah each time she was met with consequences for her actions. Wrong is wrong, sure, and it made the read extremely interesting (also, I liked that the author made me feel complex feelings, such as siding with someone that would otherwise been seen as a "criminal"). But she is layered, imperfect character with complicated emotions, and that is what made her so real to me, and by default, so relatable. This story has more twists and turns than fusilli, and I couldn't put it down. In fact, I think I may be reading it again. Would LOVE to see this one on the big screen.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2016Phil does it again with a rich world and strong characters in such a short amount of time. I'd love to hear what happened next...
Top reviews from other countries
- Rodney SimpsonReviewed in Canada on January 18, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars Simple and powerful
Simple and powerful
The concept is not new but this version of it has a simple grace about it that sets it apart. The characters are kept spare which I like. I am not told anything about Leah so I get to use my imagination and paint a picture of her that I like. This is good. Books should trigger the imagination, not suppress it with infinite detail. This one does an excellent job of exactly that.
- John M.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 23, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping
A great read, telling a fascinating tale. Looking forward to the next in the series
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Australia on October 9, 2016
4.0 out of 5 stars Fast paced sci-fi
Very well written and enjoyable futuristic sci-fi. I found the book hard to put down it was exciting. This book is a real page turner i am looking forward to reading more by this author.
- Sandra RichardsonReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 7, 2016
4.0 out of 5 stars Left me wanting more
INITIAL THOUGHTS
I was struggling reading another book when I cam across this one. I needed something to lift me from my "possible reading slump" so I reverted to something from both genres I love, post apocalyptic & dystopian. As this is set in the world of Michael Bunker's Pennsylvania I am hoping I may have discovered a great new series to read.
THOUGHTS WHILST READING
There weren't any really as it was a fairly quick read novella.
REVIEW
I received an e-arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I then looked the title up on Amazon so I could add the links to this review post and discovered I had actually bought this novella in December 2015! So it's been sat waiting for me to get around to reading it! I wish there were more reading hours in the day, or even an extra day in the week just for reading! I could use either the extra hours or both the extra hours and the extra day!!
The cover has a green hue to it which adds a feeling of darkness and the possibility of possible danger. You later realise it could represent one the latter scenes in the novella. There are two depictions of the same female on the cover, in the top section is a profile silhouette within smoke . . .and there is also a female figure in a street scene. I think the cover represents the novella very well. I should also add that there is a different cover shown on Goodreads for this book. Which one do I prefer? The one I have featured above as it suits the feel, genre, and plot of the book much better.Would the cover make me pick this book up from the shelf in a bookstore? I think I would pick it up to read the blurb due to the curiosity the cover makes me feel about the female on it.
So because I didn't really read that this book was based on another authors books, I initially expected this to be a prequel to a series. . .I know my bad . .should have read the description better. The book starts with the main female character of Leah out on a salvage scouting mission for salvage as that is the currency that is used to barter with for food etc. as the "city" is in ruins really and is being governed by the harsh regime of the "Transport Police" who seem to literally make up their own rules on what is right and wrong. These "mission" of searching for salvage are becoming increasingly difficult as the good salvage has already been taken and those that live outside the city and are referred to as the "Wild Ones" . There are many rumours about the Wild One such as they capture people, torture, and murder them. The most gruesome fact or rumour is that the Wild Ones are cannibals! So it's understandable that Leah should be scared of them and ends up losing a whole nights salvage to escape them. Salvage that was to be bartered for food.
It's a chance meeting in an alleyway that ends up drastically changing her life. M man is being chased and is shot and the last thing he does is hand Leah a bag with a mysterious package. Initially Leah thinks the contents of the bag will be something she can barter for food. . . but when she shows her father, it becomes apparent it is something of a much higher value.
There's plenty of twists and turns within this novella. I found it quite a gripping read. The whole post apocalyptic part of the world that those in the city and surrounding are having to live. The dystopian aspect is well covered with the tyrannical governing body called the "transport police" and their heavy handed techniques, and the rebel force known as TRACE fighting the government.
The characters, Leah, her father, Isaac (an Amish man) are all great, and in my opinion could have been developed even more giving a lengthier novella. I liked the way Leah's mum was referenced and spoken about even though she had previously passed, it helped to give an insight into why Leah was the way she is. I loved the relationship between Leah and her father. Her father feeling the need to attempt to shelter Leah and how Leah returns this feeling of protectiveness. The only downside is that ideally I'd have wanted there to be more, at least a series of novella's. I felt frustrated we didn't get the chance to know what sort of life Leah would have, and how she would cope.
So did I enjoy the novella? Yes, though I did want more! I think the novella could have been filled out, maybe even made into a novel length, the society created and characters were already there.
Would I recommend reading this novella?Yes, it's a great one or two sitting read.
Would I want to read more? If this novella were ever filled out into a full length novel, or more novella's were added and this made into a series I would be interested in reading more, so yes! Also reading this novella has made me take a look at the author of the world it is set in.
Would I want to read more by this author? I have already purchased another novella (Curfew) by this author to read.
FINIAL THOUGHTS
Great novella with brilliant society creation, and some potentially brilliant characters. . . I was just left wanting more.
- Norma MilesReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 27, 2016
3.0 out of 5 stars Who can you trust?
A simply written story of a young girl caught up a situation beyond her understanding and control. The reader is thrown directly into her world, one of deprivation and hunger, where she needs to forage to survive and runs the ever present risks of being caught. Then she comes across something which can only make life more difficult.
Direct and with constant gentle action, it is fast moving and the ending promises much more to come.
A good read for younger teens.