What is "malbry"

Malbry ("pronounced "Mawbry") is the fictional village that serves as the setting for Joanne Harris' Yorkshire-based thrillers, notably Blueeyedboy1, Gentlemen and Players2 and Different Class 3. It is also the setting for a number of Harris' short stories.

Malbry is a village in the north of England, comprising several districts, including: White City (a council estate); Red City (an older, more downtrodden estate, mostly of brick-built terraced houses); Malbry Village (a more affluent, middle-class area); and Millionnaires' Row, a wealthy part of Malbry Village. There are several schools; including Abbey Road Juniors, a primary school; Sunnybank Comprehensive, the local state school and St Oswald's Grammar School, the independent boys' grammar school which is the setting for Gentlemen and Players.

It is a close community, rife with conflicting factions. Outsiders are not welcome, and those who do not fit in are the subject of gossip and speculation. There is a great deal of snobbery, and there is bitter rivalry between the state school and St Oswald's, the grammar school.