Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #56 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Review
A charming mixture of love and mystery. --Lancashire Evening Post

Judy Finnigan, Richard and Judy, Channel 4
'It's a corker...probably my favourite of all the Summer Reads'

Richard Madeley, Richard and Judy, Channel 4
'It's one of the best pieces of writing on the First World War
that I've ever read...I can't think of a bad thing to say about this book'

Customer Reviews

Excellent
I spent a lovely day curled up on the sofa with this book. It's beautifully written and draws you in from the beginning.
Grace is a house maid at Riverton during the 2nd world war. When 2 sisters Hannah and Emmeline come to stay Grace feels inexplicably drawn to them.
Although the story travels towards a tragedy you know is coming the ending is still a surprise.

I couldn't put it down.

Like comfort food, enjoyable but rather predictable
This story is well written, detailed and narrated perfectly, however it just didn't quite hit the spot for me. Thought it was a bit slow and could have been a quarter shorter in length. What peeved me off the most though, was that although it is totally predictable, I still read on and enjoyed it!, proves just how well written it really is. Worth a read (an enjoyable one!)and definately a great one for auntie/grandma's christmas box.

good qualitycomfort reading
I don't think it makes any difference reading this book after reading her second one, the Forgotten Garden. I found both very absorbing in the best, cosy on the couch excellent story-telling kind of way. Not a demanding read, just really relaxing. The period is well researched, the characters engaging, perhaps there are more likeable characters in this book. The only slight reservation is that I think her works are somewhat derivative from classics of this genre. I just always get the feeling these books are written by some-one who has done a creative writing course. It's like you can see the "joins", as though she has taken on board all the very best things from other authors, but the end product is slightly stiff and contrived.