Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35101 in Books
• Published on: 2004-09-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Alan Titchmarsh, the best known gardener novelist in Britain, extends his patch with his novel, Animal Instincts. Expectedly funny and warm, Animal Instincts also has a distinct tinge of social commentary. The central figure is one Kit Lavery, who is returning to bucolic Devon, after ten enjoyable years in the Aussie Outback, so as to sort out the parlous estate of his deceased dad. It is all Kit can do not to leap on the next plane home when he meets the scarily modern women presiding over his father's penniless eco-empire: feisty Elizabeth, polemical Jess.

Love, naturally, will bloom in this seemingly unpromising soil. Before it does Titchmarsh deftly sketches an engaging plot that touches on delicate countryside issues like fox hunting, conservancy and the class system, without ever getting tendentious or dull--and without losing the quintessentially pleasant and light-hearted tone. --Sean Thomas

Synopsis
Following the death of his father, the owner of East Yarmouth Animal Sanctuary, Kit Lavery returns to Britain from Australia to sort out his father's affairs. His visit is intended to be brief, but on arrival at the down-at-heel animal sanctuary, Kit finds it staffed by two very determined women. Elizabeth Punch and Jess Wetherby. Elizabeth is a woman with a mission - to save animals from inconsiderate man. And Jess Supple has one burning desire - to keep alive the work of the old man who took her under his wing when she was a placard-waving hunt saboteur. As the two women cajole, berate and demand that Kit stay and carry on his father's good work, he finds life becoming increasingly complicated. And when GM crop trials are proposed in the fields surrounding his farm, his scruples are tested to the limit, and not everyone is happy with his decision. It seems that blood may be spilt before the Animal Sanctuary, with its assorted inhabitants, is out of the woods...

About the Author
Alan Titchmarsh is the main presenter on Gardener's World and Ground Force. As well as writing for BBC Gardener's World magazine, The Express and Radio Times, he has also appeared on radio and television both as a gardening expert and as an interviewer and presenter, fronting such programmes as Points of View and Pebble Mill. He is the author of two previous novels, Mr. MacGregor and The Last Lighthouse Keeper, and was appointed MBE in the 2000 New Year Honours list.

Customer Reviews

Something for everyone and a fantastic read.
If you liked "Mr MacGregor" and "The Last Lighthouse Keeper" then "you ain't seen nothing yet!" This is by far the best of his three novels (and I thought that the "Last Lighthouse Keeper" was fantastic!) It lacks nothing. It has that same warm glow that "The Last Lighthouse Keeper" had and it has the brilliant story lines of all good novels. If this isn't a brilliant work of genius then I don't know what is. The story has love, lust, mystery and romance. It is so well written that you can almost imagine being there and if you like a good novel in any respect then this is for you - it has somehing for everyone. I would say without a doubt that this is the best book I have ever read and I have read a lot of books. This one was so good I had it finished in two days!

This is simply fantastic!!!
Hats off to you, Alan!!! You've done it again!, I thought it couldn't get much better after reading "The last lighthouse keeper", but obviously it could.
This is simply one of the best books I have ever read, - and I've read quite a few by now. Two thumbs up, way up - can't wait to read your next book, just to see if you can outdo yourself yet again!

Still thinking it over
Another good story from Mr T but, I'm still thinking it over. It lacks the depth of 'The Last Lighthouse Keeper' which, for me, is Alan's best book, I think I was a little disappointed with the main character Kit. He promised so much but ultimately lacked the killer punch and turned a bit wishy washy...but don't let that put you off it is still very readable and a page-turner, if I had been able to register four and a half stars I would have. All Alan's books are a great read. Keep them coming Mr T.