The Mysterious Mr. Badman by W.F. Harvey – a rare 1934 bibliomystery recently reprinted in the British Library Crime Classics series

April 26, 2024

The Mysterious Mr. Badman by W.F. Harvey

This novel is subtitled “A Yorkshire Bibliomystery”, the unusual title comes from a much sought after book that features heavily in the story. It was an actual book written by John Bunyan; the full title being “The Life and Death of Mr Badman”, and even in 1934 when this book originally appeared in a short run it would have been comparatively rare. This recent reprint in the British Library Crime Series is a very enjoyable read, as it features a clever and complex plot with genuine suspense and some excellent characters led by Mr Digby. Athelstan Digby is a worthy blanket manufacturer with more than a usual amount of common sense and insight who has great determination to do the right thing, while considering everyone involved. While some of the leg work is done by his much younger nephew Jim, it is Digby who must save the day when events and other people threaten everything.

This book represents the Golden Age tradition of an amateur sleuth and very little mention of the police, but also provides an in depth view of a world where letters and telegrams were important methods of transmitting news, and cars with drivers could be hired for long distances. There is a hint of politics in a novel chiefly concerned with secrets, but also some violence and at least one body. According to Martin Edwards’ excellent Introduction to the life and times of the author, William Fryer Harvey, an eventful existence meant his writing had a sometimes unsettling quality amid the detection of crime and mystery. This novel features the returning character of Mr Digby, whose progress is a solid effort to elicit the truth and an expectation of fair play. It also contains some fascinating aspects of somewhat strained family relationships in difficult circumstances. I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this enjoyable novel.

The book begins with Mr Digby undertaking the responsibility of running a small book shop below his lodgings where he is visiting his nephew Jim, who is considering taking over a local doctor’s practice. All is quiet until three men enter the shop and request the same somewhat obscure book on separate occasions. After they depart a copy does arrive, and Mr Digby agrees with the shop owner to keep it on the premises. When it disappears the situation seems to demand further investigation, and a link is found to some locals who may have reasons for silence despite the costs. Mr Digby’s persistence takes him, Jim and another friend to some strange places and adventures as danger of various kinds threatens. As deceits and deception’s loom, can Mr Digby and his helpers deal with the situation?

There is a murder in this book, but as befits a novel where the mystery is all important there is little brutality and violence. Mr Digby and his companions are memorable characters placed in a series of settings that are typical of an interwar Britian of local pubs and villages, but there are suggestions of greater forces threatening and the deep importance of their actions. I recommend this book as a well written novel with a solid plot and consistent characters.  

Springtime with the Railway Girls by Maisie Thomas – the women who work on the Wartime Railways of Manchester band together

April 22, 2024

Springtime with the Railway Girls by Maisie Thomas

This vibrant and lively book continues the story of a group of women who worked for the Railway system in and around Manchester during the Secon World War. Over the previous eight books we have followed the progress of these women and their families and friends “through life, love and war”. There have been losses during air raids and similar incidents, and this book, like its predecessors, has impeccable descriptions of the situation that people faced in cities like Manchester, which was a target for enemy bombers. The aspects of work that the women undertook on and around the railways is closely researched and written, but none of the excitement or drive of the story is lost. While fictional, all the well written characters in this novel, even if only on the sidelines, are entirely consistent and true to life.

Like its predecessors, this novel picks up and develops the stories of three women in particular, without leaving the stories of other characters unresolved alongside. Persephone, the former London socialite from a wealthy family who has worked alongside the other women with her brand of charm and efficiency, must come to terms with a huge challenge in her life. Alison, formerly so determined to get married to a somewhat untrustworthy man, has a fulfilling professional role on the horizon, but a tragedy closer to home makes her look at her life from the perspective of others. Colette, for whom marriage brought misery and fear, is discovering new possibilities, but the shades of the past still haunt her in the form of her husband. Can the three women pull together with their friends to survive to the end of a war which still affects everyone in so many ways?

Persephone is in love, and yet her family are appalled with her relationship with a railway fireman. Such is the quality of the writing that compares her travelling to London for a few days of her former social life with her existence in an admittedly huge house working on the trains that her dilemma is plain to see. Her relationship and scant time with Matt are delicately described, but the reality that they can only be “happy for now” during the duration of the War is pressing on Persephone. Meanwhile Alison is happy in many ways, but sadly that does not extend to a member of her immediate family, and she must help several other people deal with their difficulties. I have found the story around Colette the most powerful of all – this book may be set in 1944 but her problems with domestic violence in many forms is still relevant today. A plausible husband and expectations from outsiders mean that she is still trapped in many ways, and the situation is intolerable for her and those who genuinely care. Apparently, people have contacted the author to say that it is a painfully accurate picture of an abuser. Not that this is all grim and despair by any means; for Colette as with the other women there is hope for the end of the War which has so changed their lives.

Altogether this is a really well written series, and this book is similarly an excellent read. It really brings a difficult period in recent history to life in all its depth. It is a female led dram without the grimness of many sagas, where friendship and hope can win out. I am so very grateful to have had the opportunity to read and review this novel, and thoroughly recommend it to everyone who enjoys a good wartime book set outside the capital with all its challenges.   

In the Shadow of Queens – Tales from the Tudor Court by Alison Weir – Thirteen tales from the Six Tudor Queens and those who knew them

April 16, 2024

In the Shadow of Queens by Alison Weir

This book is the companion to a majestic (in every sense of the word) series of six novels by that great historical novelist, Alison Weir. “The Six Tudor Queens Series” is a brilliant series of novels which revolve around the six women who became Queen during the reign of Henry VIII. Their relationship to the King is not always the dominant theme of the novel; as a historian Weir has rooted many details about the lives of the women before their marriages to Henry, and in some cases afterwards. Some novels contain a wealth of story as the woman involved had relatively long lives and had even in one case been widowed twice before, others, such as Katheryn Howard, being very young when she was killed had a brief biography. Each of the novels are totally absorbing in their own right as the stories of women with fascinating lives. I have reviewed five of them, as well as two of Weir’s other novels on the Tudors. (Search under Alison Weir in the column to the right)

This book is subtitled “Tales From the Tudor Court”, being thirteen short stories from the edge of each of the main six novels. Originally produced as ebooks alongside the publication of the main novel, each Queen is represented by two stories, often featuring members of the Court or as in  the case of Katherine of Aragon, the story of Arthur, Henry’s elder brother and her youthful if already ill first husband. Some stories are the length of novellas, others shorter, but all add greatly to the story of these much-discussed women. As Weir says in the Introduction, she chose the people who would feature in each story of the queens who had “a rich supporting cast of characters”. Each section has a Timeline which gives the important dates for each woman, which if nothing else brings home how short some of the lives were. Some of those who are the focus of the stories were devoted to servants of the queens, others were relatives in complicated ways – given that Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard were related, and one of the people who was involved in both of their downfalls was Anne’s sister in law, she was an obvious choice to focus on. Most of the characters are women, who were called on to be ladies in waiting or nurses to babies, some for dynastic reasons, others because they were seen to be trustworthy to be in important roles. Some stories are complex, others straightforward. Nearly all are set very firmly in the Tudor period, even if the story may cover a wider time than Henry’s life. There are exceptions, including a story of a twenty first century re-enactor and the story of a Sepulchre over several generations.

Given the subject matter of the book, these are not cheerful stories as with much historical fiction, when we know what happened to many of the main characters. Having said that, this book is also a collection of stories of loyalty, love beyond romances, and the nature of women’s lives at the time. As someone who wrote nonfiction history books for many years, Weir has done so much intense research and given a great deal of thought to the subject matter in terms of answering many questions about these characters, so these stories are firmly authentic. Not that the narrative is ever not engaging; Weir is an experienced hand at weaving the facts into the stories. This book is a real treat for those who appreciate traditional historical fiction in a different format, and I recommend it to anyone whether they have read the Six Queen series or still have that pleasure to come.

Casual Slaughters by James Quince – dubious goings on in a Devon village in a 1935 novel reprinted by the Oleander Press

April 13, 2024

Casual Slaughters by James Quince

Those who enjoy classic murders set in an English village between the two World Wars will relish this book, as all human life is represented here. Originally published in 1935, this is another reprint from The Oleander Press, and it certainly has its moments of gentle humour and insight into the characters of a village from the Rector through to the blacksmith and everyone else. Written in the voice of Blundell, a retired naval officer and Secretary of the church Parochial Church Council or PCC, he undertakes the voluntary role as he has “so much experience of keeping accounts without balances” in his business of surviving on his income as a keeper of chickens. He evidently gets very involved in sorting out a series of mysteries that beset the village that emerge from the innocent decision to level the churchyard to make maintenance easier. He is an engaging narrator with a keen insight into the people of the area and as they are an eccentric bunch there is a lot of humour. There is not a huge body count, but the discovery of a second body curiously sends the official police officer away and leads to a slightly more amateur investigation. The setting and characters in this novel make it an engaging read with some unusual aspects. I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this book.

The book opens with a PCC meeting which well illustrates how the book will proceed; a group of villagers come together to discuss matters apparently of vital importance to the village, or a gossip. Eventually the Rector manages to state that as the maintenance of the churchyard is a great responsibility, he would like to see the “mounds” on the graves levelled off. There are predictable reservations around family plots. It is therefore resolved to begin with the grave mound of a elderly lady with no local family, so Barlow intends to begin there. However, he soon uncovers a surprise – a headless corpse of a mystery man. As it is obvious that it was murder, the locals summon the Chief Constable, who finds the experience somewhat overwhelming and has to be moved somewhere in the churchyard while everyone else is busy. As a temporary hearse is pressed into service, gossip is everywhere. Scotland Yard’s Detective Inspector Lawless appears and together the investigators both professional and amateur make some progress via some dubious methods. Another discovery seems to answer some questions and Lawless disappears in great haste, but not before some words of encouragement are given. As the somewhat hapless investigations continue, many of the villagers fall back on superstition and inevitable gossip before all is revealed.

This is a very good read as a fictionalised social history as well as a convoluted plot, and in some respects it is also a very funny book. The title is a Shakespearean quotation rather than an accurate description of the level of brutality found in the story. It is a little uneven in its narrative, with some dubious dialect from one or two characters, but overall, it is a fascinating and engaging short novel with plenty of local colour and setting. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys novels from the Golden Age of crime, especially quirky tales of Devon villages.

The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson – an amazing novel about the value of books and reading in difficult times

April 8, 2024

The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson

Books and reading are vital in difficult circumstances. That is the theme of this powerful novel about life in Jersey during the Second World War, which concentrates on how the movement of books gave hope and respite in impossible circumstances. Based very much on true events and people of the Channel Islands during the notorious occupation by German forces from June 1940 to early May 1945 it uses so much research to back up the fictional narrative which never slows the action.  Several novels have been written about this tortuous time, some which concentrate on the collaboration, the slavery used to build enormous fortifications and the general starvation of the Islanders, but this book is significant in its own themes.

This book looks through the eyes of two fictional characters, the Post Office Worker Bea and the librarian Grace, at their quiet work supporting their friends. Their actions, as Bea discovers hateful letters and Grace passes on books and messages against the rules, is set in a truly fascinating background. These are not isolated people making moral decisions, but very human women who have massive doubts about their actions and the possible ramifications for themselves and those they love. Grace is the most interesting in my opinion, as she has been left in charge of the beautiful library at the heart of the island. When people are desperate and hungry they discover a need for distraction, an urge to escape into fiction and the library as a refuge shines through. Grace’s work in terms of providing books, even to people who are in hiding, and secretly preserving books banned by the Nazi regime has a real ring of truth. Many of the novels and authors banned during the mid twentieth century are listed at the start of most chapters, and it is a shocking and painful list. It is the hiding of these books, the reading aloud of some texts, that underlies Grace’s actions, even though she runs a greater risk in helping Bea in her unofficial work.

There are brutal elements of this novel, as the Nazi officers enforce their complex rules on the population. While there are elements of hope, of loyalty and endurance in the face of oppression, there are vivid descriptions of violence as an essential part of people’s stories. The book begins with a Prologue in which Grace and others experience the invasion when they are vulnerable, then the focus switches to the events of 8th September 1943, three years later when the occupation is leading to desperate decisions. The death on the beach is a topic which fuels many of Bea’s later actions, and Grace also makes a big discovery on the same night, as she begins to question her total commitment to imaginary emotions. As Bea involves herself in the warning of those who have been betrayed by their fellow islanders and the oppression of various people, Grace discovers how the power of reading can sustain people whose very existence on the island is a life and death matter not only to themselves but those who shelter them.

It is the terrific characters who make this novel come alive as Thompson recalls the wonderful Queenie, the quiet but talented Peter and the book obsessed Red among others. There is a quiet note on the women who were seen to have collaborated with the Nazis in the form of a sister who seems to have taken a wrong path. This novel has the depth to show that matters were not straightforward, that people were struggling in so many circumstances, and they had to take decisions in so many ways in a small community.

The uplifting message of this novel is that books can give the will to survive, especially when people come together to enjoy a good story. As with Thompson’s other excellent book “The Little Wartime Library”, she has included a wealth of information about the Channel Islanders’ real stories and memories, as well as details of how to read further on these fascinating times and some of the books involved. This section at the end of the fascinating novel is almost worth the price of the book alone, as it is such a good read. Altogether this is a tough but ultimately hopeful book about impossible circumstances and how people tried to survive in so many ways, partly through the love of reading. I really recommend this memorable novel, which would make a great book club read as well as a wonderful solo reading experience.    

The Fair Miss Fortune by D.E. Stevenson – a light hearted book reprinted by Furrowed Middlebrow at Dean Street Press

April 4, 2024

The Fair Miss Fortune by D. E. Stevenson

This book almost has the atmosphere of a fantasy, one set in a village with some very real seeming people but with a twist at its centre. It was actually written and rejected in 1938, and only appeared in a limited edition in 2011.Happily, Furrowed Middlebrow at Dean Street Press have made it more available, and I think it follows “Miss Buncle’s Book” as a distraction and very funny read. Even the title is a sort of joke, one enlarged in the novel as a character reports he has “met Miss Fortune” to a sympathetic listener. At its heart is the genuinely good-natured Miss Jane Fortune, whose ambition to retire to the countryside and open a tea shop is met with great interest by a significant number of villagers in Dingleford. Here is Stevenson at her most playful; an idyllic English village with memorable characters who sometimes indulge in actual fights in some memorable circumstances. There is a controlling parent, a rather cosy and thoughtful mother, and two young gentlemen whose adoration of the beautiful Miss Fortune causes much confusion. Apparently, its theme was seen as old fashioned and sentimental by one publisher in 1938, which seems a shame as it would no doubt have been a valuable distraction in the dark days to come. It is a neatly and skilfully written book that I very much enjoyed, with some interesting ideas below the seemingly light hearted surface.

Captain Charles Weatherby is a man of experience, being an army officer on leave from India, staying with his mother in his home village. An invitation to a sort of house warming party is received, and despite his original reluctance to attend he is instantly interested when he calls on the young woman and her “Nannie” and is mistaken for a plumber. Such is the effect of the meeting that he soon resolves to offer Miss Fortune more assistance in order to spend time in her vicinity. His mother is delighted but adopts a low key attitude to the budding romance. Meanwhile Harold Prescott, the much put upon son of the difficult Mrs Prescott, is also very much attracted to Miss Fortune, and resolves to improve his physique to attract her. Into this interesting situation arrives another Miss Fortune, the slightly more forward Joan, who has arrived from London pursued by a mysterious Frenchman. When fates and farcical situations collide as reasonably predictable in such a set up, more than one disagreement occurs.

This book represents an amazing contrast with some of Stevenson’s other novels of the time, such as the thought provoking “The English Air”, which asks some serious questions about identity, and the later “Five Windows” about a challenging life. In contrast this is a light and funny read with some characters who may be surprised by events, but not always delighted. Stevenson wrote a wide range of novels, some very much in a series, others standalone like this one. I really recommend this as a delightful read which I enjoyed as a distraction from more serious novels, and I am very pleased that it eventually saw publication.

A Court of Betrayal by Anne O’Brien – a wonderful historical novel of a determined woman

April 2, 2024

A Court of Betrayal by Anne O’Brien

This is a very enjoyable, readable novel of historical characters written in the voice of a strong and determined woman. It is based in a lesser known period of British history; the early 1300s, so pre Tudors, and the usual time for historical fiction. It is the story of Johane de Geneville and her marriage to Roger Mortimer at the age of fifteen, which goes on to span betrayal of different types, both political and personal. It is a period that I knew very little about before reading this novel, and I am happy to say that it is so well written that I was able to follow the major upheavals of the reign of Edward II and the aftermath. On one level it is the story of a woman married early to an ambitious young man whom she has never met, and what happens to her and her family as time goes on. On another level it is the story of Roger through her eyes, and how his ambition and actions have an effect on a country as well as their marriage. There is great love and great hurt, great success and great threat. Johanne emerges as a woman who from the beginning shows her enormous strength and quick wits, and her genuine emotional intelligence in understanding those around her. She has many children, takes strength from an older woman, and has to develop survival skills that help in unexpected circumstances. There are genuinely touching moments in this book with its account of difficult relationships, as well as an understanding of the political realities of the time. I found this an excellent read which kept me engaged from beginning to end; an historical novel that is firmly and convincingly set in a turbulent time with a substantial amount of research that never slows the narrative.

The book begins with a Prologue in which Johane is informed that a marriage has been arranged for her with the young Roger Mortimer, the heir of one of the English Marcher lords. She has substantial lands and estate, but in order to satisfy the dynastic demands of both families the inheritance must be kept intact, so her two younger sisters are condemned to a convent. Johanne is very young, and she is naturally apprehensive of marriage, but as the book begins she discovers that in Roger she has met her match, fiercely ambitious but also potentially quietly affectionate. It was no easy position to maintain the peace on the Welsh border for Roger and his immediate family, and Johanne soon discovers that she has married a very able man whose determination to hold his position and estate, as well as his love of jousting, means that he is frequently absent, and she is left to worry if he will return. The political situation is not made easy by the vacillations of King Edward and his favourites, especially when he is strongly influenced to meet their demands for power and land. Johanne is not only left to manage huge estates on a daily basis, but also witness at a distance the building up of a crisis that imperils not only her husband, but all those she loves. Yet there is still betrayal to come.

This is a book that I thoroughly recommend if you enjoy straightforward historical fiction without time slips or other distractions. The characters, especially Johane herself, jump off the page and are consistent throughout the book. There is much to enjoy in terms of descriptions of clothes, jewels and tapestries that make the settings of the various castles and great houses seem so real and add enormous depth to the story; these are real places populated and entire even if now in ruins. This is a terrific story with real depth, and I am so pleased to have read it.

Impact of Evidence by Carol Carnac – a rare 1954 Welsh Borders Mystery reprinted in the British Library Crime Classics series

March 29, 2024

Impact of Evidence by Carol Carnac

This book is subtitled “A Welsh Borders Mystery”, and the setting of a largely inaccessible landscape is an important element of this excellent mystery. The author is probably better known in the British Library Crime Classics and elsewhere as E.C.R. Lorac, another of her several pen names, and the decision to reprint this apparently very rare novel is an excellent choice. Martin Edwards’ informative Introduction explains how it fits into the author’s work.

 This book has all the classic elements of a crime novel of the period, a small community from which a suspect can be isolated, deep-rooted secrets which may become motives, and excellent character descriptions. It features Carnac’s series detectives, Chief Inspector Julian Rivers and Inspector Lancing who become involved after a local police officer is injured in a surprising development, and Rivers is given full scope to display his background and knowledge of farming. These are important factors as the mystery appears deeply hidden among the isolated farms and trackways of a hill district changed by extreme weather and a vehicle accident. The significance of being cut off by ice, water and floods means that even the potential crime scenes are difficult to access, and those involved must tackle challenging circumstances to even retrieve bodies and the injured. I particularly enjoyed the fact that while the male characters are well drawn, the few woman characters are varied and insightful. The author reveals a deep knowledge of the area and the significance of the landscape, giving her characters descriptive powers that make it come alive. I really enjoyed this engaging and well written book and was very grateful for the opportunity to read and review it.

The novel begins with a discussion amongst the Lambton family about the terrible driving of local retired doctor, Dr Robinson, whose age, eyesight, and deafness have made him less than safe driving his big car locally, especially given the narrowness of the roads. Henry, the eldest son of the household, gives his well-argued opinion forcefully – he is an expert at dealing with recalcitrant vehicles of all types, as well as an ability to deal with a crisis. When a large crash alerts him and others to a terrible accident, he fears what he will find; the doctor’s car has failed to stop when necessary and crossed the road in the path of another car, and now both vehicles are in danger of disappearing into the river. They find one driver dazed but unhurt, and he is returned to the Lambton house to be cared for, but the other car must be quickly evacuated before it sinks into a raging river. As expected, they find the elderly doctor’s body, but also manage to recover the bring out another dead man, who nobody recognises and seems that was already dead when the crash occurred. Cut off from the rest of the world, Henry and another man manage to struggle through to report the fatalities to Colonel Wynne, a practically minded magistrate who enlists local military men to organise much needed transport over the challenging landscape. When Rivers and Lancing begin their investigations, hampered by floods and other challenges, they begin to discover that those who live in such difficult circumstances have many secrets.

I felt that this novel kept me guessing while setting up a terrific atmosphere and complex plot. The geography of the crime sites is a little tricky to understand, and the way that it is cut off perhaps difficult to visualise, but the sense of the people involved is very well constructed. I found this an unusual murder mystery with real depth of characters which makes much of the setting and circumstances. I recommend it as a good read, and I am really pleased that this very rare novel will find a new audience.

Poles Apart by Anna and Jacqui Burns – a surprising novel of female solidarity in the face of challenges

March 21, 2024
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Poles Apart by Anna & Jacqui Burns

This is a contemporary novel with some fascinating themes – of women who are far from the norm for most novelists, who face particular challenges, and for whom romance may exist, but is not straightforward. It is set in a small Welsh village where news travels fast and every character is known. There is humour as it is built on the idea that there is a new woman’s exercise class in the village hall which takes the form of pole dancing lessons, and the authors have exploited the shock of the skill of a totally new activity for everyone in the area. Gwen is a woman with adult children and a largely absent husband with whom she has a business and is always aware that she lives in the biggest, most desirable house in the area. Meg is the youngest woman, but has health issues which affect her daily life and potentially her prowess as a pole dancer. Ivy is recently widowed but is sure that she needs to make positive changes to her life despite other people’s interference. Summer loves her two small children, but her husband’s lengthy absences and her unsupported childcare trials are dominating her every moment. Into these situations comes the exotic Feather Starr with her life changing challenges, and the women are challenged into forming a group that provide support – but will that bond be enough? This is a book that I really enjoyed, because of its honesty in dealing with women of every age and different situations. I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review it.

The book opens with a chapter headed “Gwen” as all the chapters clearly focus on a different character within the group of four. She quietly revels in her wonderful house with its spectacular views and seems reconciled to the absence of her husband despite knowing that it is her business acumen that have elevated the car dealership to its current success. Her daughter Lydia takes every advantage of her, alongside her sister who has high financial expectations. Meanwhile Meg is on another unsatisfactory date and feeling her loneliness living with her grandmother who runs the local shop. Her life has been transformed by her long-term illness which has left her with a permanent reminder which intrudes on her confidence, especially in potential romantic situations. Ivy is in a way relishing her new life alone, changing not only her décor but also her expectations of life, despite a son and neighbours who feel the need to influence her actions. Summer’s post-natal haze with one baby is made more challenging by her toddler Nia, who is going through a demanding stage. A chance visit gives her the opportunity to attend the first pole dancing class and meet the other three women who with a mixture of practical support and confidence boosting will transform all their lives.

This a book of highs and lows, but I admire the way the authors write so honestly about a personal semi medical issue, the truth of having very small children effectively alone, what older women are expected to do and how even the most secure situation can be challenged. I recommend this book for its humour, its clever inclusion of different women at various stages, and its able handling of a surprising idea.

The Teashop Girls at War by Elaine Everest – the story of a group of Lyons Teashop women at war

March 18, 2024

The Teashop Girls at War by Elaine Everest

This is the third book in Everest’s series about the women who worked in Lyons Teashops during the late 1930s and early 1940s. Like its sister series, the community around the actual employees is widened to include family and friends, and Everest cleverly constructs a realistic world of relationships and dependence on others. This is especially important in the time which provides the setting for this novel as it is 1942, and more than one loved one is absent in the various services. Not that it is easy for those on the Home Front; as this book is set in Margate and other coastal locations the German raids and threat of invasion is all too present. Nevertheless Rose, Lily, Katie, Anya, Flora and the others manage to pull together to care for children, vulnerable people and each other as well as keep the much-needed teashops going for so many customers. I believe this book could be read as a standalone, if only because Everest does a wonderful job in creating and maintaining three dimensional characters. She skilfully uses speech patterns, and their expressions of feelings to make the women who are central to the novel feel like real people. This is a novel which I found easy to read, engaging and with an element of suspense. I was very grateful to have the opportunity to read and review it.

At the beginning of the novel there is a Prologue from June 1942, in which one of the main characters is in dire circumstances. Why and how she is there will emerge throughout the novel, along with some other surprises. The book itself begins in March 1942, with Flora who runs the Sea View Guest House, gazing around at the branch of Lyons that her daughter Rose manages so efficiently. Not that it is an easy task; with women signing up for all forms of war work waitresses and other staff are difficult to find and retain. This is soon shown as Ruth, Rose’s sister-in-law who works in a mysterious job in London approaches Anya. Anya is a young Polish woman who arrived as a refugee from the advancing German army. Her husband Henio is a missing airman, and her son Alexsy is a baby. When she is mysteriously summoned to London, she must find someone to care for him, without too much discussion of why she must go. Meanwhile Katie, who also works at Lyons, is desperate for children with her husband Jack, who is away much of the time. She shares the care of Alexsy and Mary, Lily’s daughter, when the other women are working their shifts. Lily is a single mother but has recently established a very friendly relationship with Peter, an airman who recently literally dropped into her life.

As changes and challenges come along for the women and others, caring for the children becomes quite a task, especially when totally unexpected dangers present themselves. Fortunately, Flora is on hand to help as well as worry over the younger women while dealing with her own feelings for the elusive John.

As with all Everest’s novels the research into the period, the clothes, the buildings and the food is extensive, but is never allowed to slow the narrative. The women’s ability to cope is severely tested in this novel with some unusual challenges, but as always Everest handles the situations very well. Altogether this is a very good addition to the series, and I recommend it as an enjoyable read.