This is a mystery and a second chances story set in early 1960s rural England and tells the story of an ordinary middle aged single woman who buys a dilapidated cottage, Sixpenny Holding, hoping to finally begin living life on her terms. She dreams of writing romantic novels of suspense and this ambition is complicated when her widowed brother’s daughter’s caregiver, her aunt, dies suddenly and Marian finds herself raising an opinionated 5-year-old. Both are initially wary of each other but slowly things improve and a cousin, a withdrawn 11-year-old, temporarily joins the tiny household together with a kitten. It sounds too sweet but it’s not, mostly because Marian is a combination of down to earth and whimsical that is in tune with the ramshackle ancient cottage.
The farmers up the hill become good neighbors and help Marian settle in and she becomes entwined in their relationship issues while being watched over from a distance by the reclusive, laconic farmer’s brother. Strangers in the village, strange lights at night, hidden garden hide outs, a locked tin box, a roaming student handyman all play into the mystery. The story is winning because of the naturalness of the dialog, the earthiness and intelligence of the characters, the devotion to family no matter how difficult and a common thread of dreams and wishes curtailed that link the characters and gently haunt the storyline.
There is real suspense in quite a few scenes and one very emotional and roller coaster finale turns out to make nationwide headlines. This is a charming, heartwarming story that blends belated ambitions unfolding in new directions, taking a chance no matter how frightening it seems to be and opening the heart to embrace new roles and responsibilities. I really enjoyed it.
I rate this mystery 4 cups of tea with slices of cake using elements from the book!
Plot: ***
Characters: ****
Setting: ***
Romance: ***
Humor: **
Social themes: ***
