Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26544 in Books
• Published on: 2006-03-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
When Minette Walters was commissioned (along with several other writers) to produce a book in the Quick Read series, she came up with a novel called Chickenfeed, firmly in her chosen territory: the psychology of crime and criminals. The brief was to keep things fast-moving, with no unwieldy adjectives and (if possible) seduce into reading those who have either lost--or had never acquired--the habit. Ironically, Chickenfeed, despite its brevity, reads very much like Walters’ customary fare: a violent crime is committed (offstage, as it were), but the concentration is on perpetrator and victim rather than a dogged police inspector putting the pieces together.

The subject is a true story: in 1920s East Sussex, the corpse of Elsie Cameron is discovered in a chicken run. The man found guilty of the crime, her fiancé Norman Thorne, was sentenced to death and hanged. At the time of his death, doubts were cast on the verdict, and it is very much Walters’ concern to address those doubts here. We're given a fascinating and detailed study of two blighted lives: Norman, living under cramped conditions, is struggling against heavy odds to make a living as a chicken farmer. The unprepossessing Elsie, prickly and self obsessed, finds it difficult to get on with her family or her workmates, and is fired from a succession of jobs. Marriage to Norman is the one thing--she comes to believe--that will change her wretched life, but although she does her damnedest to get the reluctant Norman to marry her, she withholds sex, allowing Norman to undress her and touch her naked body, but forbidding any other sexual contact. Things grow worse, as Elsie's family (keen to rid themselves of her) join their daughter in pressing marriage on the increasingly reluctant Norman. Then he meets someone else... and Elsie disappears.

This story, in its own terms, is fascinating enough, but in Walters’ expert hands, the swiftest of reads is guaranteed. Some may be unhappy with her deliberately vague treatment of the grim finale of the tale, and long-term Walters aficionados will be keen for her to get back to her normal-length novels--but certainly this is a book that it is difficult to put down.
--Barry Forshaw

Lloyd Evans, The Spectator
'Walters has produced a gripping account of a true-life romance between a needy office girl and a chapel-going farm boy.'

Lloyd Evans, The Spectator
'With admirable assurance she even discloses the ending on the opening page... Highly enjoyable.'

Customer Reviews

Not the best Minette Walters has written
I usually love Minette Walters books, but I was very disappointed in this one. I already knew the story that was written about in the book, but I think Walters should stick to what she is good at and continue written very good, readable novels.

Chickenfeed
"Chickenfeed" is a short novella written by the great crime writer Minette Walters and here in a departure from her normal writings of fiction has taken a true story and put her own spin onto what might have occurred.

The story in question is the "Chicken Farm Murder" of Elsie Cameron who was found cut up and buried in the chicken farm owned by her fiancé, Norman Thorne. Thorne was eventually tried and convicted of her murder and went to the gallows in April 1925.

Obviously with a story like this you have to take what Ms Walters presents to you at face value and whether her version of events is entirely accurate is a question that each reader will have to make up for themselves. Certainly though it's a case that will have you thinking about it for some time and maybe even doing some further investigations.

The story is an extremely tragic one that concerns the doomed relationship between Elsie and Norman. Elsie, a very insecure and disturbed young woman saw her only happiness in marrying Norman Thorne and pursued every opportunity in ensuring she got her man. Norman for his part was younger and much more naive than Elsie. Although he entered into the relationship willingly, as Elsie paranoia and obsessions gained more of a hold over her he found himself trapped in an engagement he could seem to get out of.

And that's the one other area that the book really does well as it makes an interesting and intriguing look into the social niceties and standards of the day. For example when Norman seems to be getting cold feet over marrying Elsie, her father threatens to take Norman to court for "breach of promise".

The book is easy to read and obviously being a novella of only some hundred pages, most keen readers will have it polished off in a single sitting. You could even accuse the book of being written in a slightly childish way although that doesn't make it any less readable. It's not really a book that you "enjoy" though, the story is ultimately extremely terrible and when you keep reminding yourself that this is a true story this impact will only increase in its seriousness.

Chicken Feed
Loved this short book. Read it in one sitting. Loved the build up of the characters.
I wish the book was longer. Excellent.
It's the first book i've read from Waters already ordered a few more!!!