- Table View
- List View
Mr. Toppit
by Charles EltonAnd out of the Darkwood Mr. Toppit comes, and he comes not for you, or for me, but for all of us. When The Hayseed Chronicles, an obscure series of children's books, become world-famous millions of readers debate the significance of that enigmatic last line and the shadowy figure of Mr. Toppit who dominates the books. The author, Arthur Hayman, an unsuccessful screenwriter mown down by a concrete truck in Soho, never reaps the benefits of the books' success. The legacy passes to his widow, Martha, and her children - the fragile Rachel, and Luke, reluctantly immortalised as Luke Hayseed, the central character of his father's books. But others want their share, particularly Laurie, the overweight stranger from California, who comforts Arthur as he lies dying, and has a mysterious agenda of her own that changes all their lives. For buried deep in the books lie secrets which threaten to be revealed as the family begins to crumble under the heavy burden of their inheritance. Spanning several decades, from the heyday of the British film industry after the war to the cut-throat world of show business in Los Angeles, Mr. Toppit is a riveting tale of the unexpected effects of sudden fame and fortune. Not since Jonathan Coe's What a Carve Up! has a novel managed to capture a family and a society to such wonderfully funny and painful effect
Mr. Was
by Pete HautmanJack Lund figures a good day is when his dad's too drunk to beat up his mom. For Jack, Bogg's End is the end. The end of the turbulent, see-saw years of watching his father go on the wagon and fall right back off gain. Once it took two years, but the inevitable inevitably happened. Now it's just Jack and his mom starting over in the strange old house his grandfather left them. But the ride's not over yet. Jack's father returns, full of apologies and promises, and for a little while, things are looking up. Then in one terrifying, sickening moment, everything comes crashing back down again. So Jack runs. He runs through a strange hidden door that takes him back in time to before his parents were born. Before he was born. Maybe with a second chance he can stop the inevitable. At least he's got to try. What Jack doesn't understand, though, is that he can't change his future until he faces his past.
Mr Wigg
by Inga SimpsonJack used to say that a good orchard was like a well-lived life. The one up at the old farm, with its hundred-year-old pears leaning over the entrance gates, held more Wigg history than anything written down.It's the summer of 1971, not far from the stone-fruit capital of New South Wales, where Mr Wigg lives on what's left of the family farm. He spends his time working in the orchard, cooking and preserving his produce and, when it's on, watching the cricket. It's a full life.Things are changing though, with Australia and England playing a one-day match, and his new neighbours planting grapes for wine. His wife died a few years ago, his daughter never visits, and his son thinks he should move into town. But Mr Wigg has trees and chickens to look after on the farm. His grandchildren visit often: to cook, eat and hear stories. And he has a project to finish...
Mr. Wolf Bounces Back (After Happily Ever After)
by Tony BradmanNow that the big bad wolf has three cubs of his own, being the neighborhood bully doesn’t seem right. He needs a new job. But what job is right for a strong, fast, scary wolf?
Mrs.: A Novel
by Caitlin MacyNamed one of the "Most Anticipated Books of 2018" by Entertainment Weekly "Mrs. could be the next Big Little Lies."--EW"Brilliant.... I absolutely loved it."--Kate AtkinsonIn the well-heeled milieu of New York's Upper East Side, coolly elegant Philippa Lye is the woman no one can stop talking about. Despite a shadowy past, Philippa has somehow married the scion of the last family-held investment bank in the city. And although her wealth and connections put her in the center of this world, she refuses to conform to its gossip-fueled culture. Then, into her precariously balanced life, come two women: Gwen Hogan, a childhood acquaintance who uncovers an explosive secret about Philippa's single days, and Minnie Curtis, a newcomer whose vast fortune and frank revelations about a penurious upbringing in Spanish Harlem put everyone on alert. When Gwen's husband, a heavy-drinking, obsessive prosecutor in the US Attorney's Office, stumbles over the connection between Philippa's past and the criminal investigation he is pursuing at all costs, this insulated society is forced to confront the rot at its core and the price it has paid to survive into the new millennium. Macy has written a modern-day HOUSE OF MIRTH, not for the age of railroads and steel but of hedge funds and overnight fortunes, of scorched-earth successes and abiding moral failures. A brilliant portrait of love, betrayal, fate and chance, MRS marries razor-sharp social critique and page-turning propulsion into an unforgettable tapestry of the way we live in the 21st Century.
Mrs Ali's Road To Happiness: Number 4 in series (Marriage Bureau For Rich People #4)
by Farahad ZamaMrs Ali's much loved home is suddenly under threat - a road widening scheme threatens to destroy both it and the family business, the Marriage Bureau for Rich People. Meanwhile, Mrs Ali's niece, Pari, a young Muslim widow, adopts a destitute Hindu boy, and this unorthodox arrangement offends both Muslim and Hindu in the sleepy eastern Indian town of Vizag. The Ali family are plunged into crisis, threated by police action, social boycott and excommunication.There is one plan that might just keep Pari and her son together, and the home Mr and Mrs Ali have shared for many years intact, but it's a desperate gamble. Do they risk everything for a small chance of success? But can they afford not to?
Mrs. Coverlet's Magicians
by Mary NashIt's up to Molly and Malcolm to see that their brother "the Toad" has a proper Christmas when nosy Miss Penalty, who is babysitting while the housekeeper is away at a bake-off, comes down with a mysterious malady that "the Toad" may have caused.
Mrs. Dalloway (Clydesdale Classics)
by Virginia Woolf"A revolutionary novel of profound scope and depth, about a day in the life of a woman who runs a few errands, sees an old suitor and gives a dull party. It&’s a masterpiece created out of the humblest narrative materials. . . . Woolf was one of the first writers to understand there are no insignificant lives, only inadequate ways of looking at them." —The New York Times The story follows one day of upper-class housewife Clarissa Dalloway&’s life as she plans and hosts a dinner party at her house. Along the way she meets with people from both her past—a former suitor whose proposal she rejected and whom she no longer gets along with—and her present—her distant husband, Richard; her daughter, Elizabeth; and her daughter&’s teacher, Miss Kilman, whom she despises (and who feels the same towards Clarissa). Proving herself a master and innovator of the parallel narrative, Woolf separately introduces reader to another storyline about a young veteran who was once a poet and a romantic before experiencing the horrors of war and becoming suicidal. He is diagnosed with mental illness and is being forced to separate from his wife and go to a mental asylum. Written by one of the most prolific female authors of the twentieth century, this stunning novel is often considered Woolf's magnum opus. Enjoy this beautifully rejuvenated edition of Virginia Woolf&’s Mrs. Dalloway.
Mrs. England: A Novel
by Stacey HallsA Sunday Times bestseller!"Highly atmospheric and tense."--Richard Osman, New YorkTimes bestselling author of The Thursday Murder Club Simmering with slow-burning menace, Mrs. England is a portrait of an Edwardian marriage, an enthralling tale of men and women, power and control, courage, truth and the very darkest deception. West Yorkshire, 1904. When recently graduated Ruby May takes a nanny position looking after the children of Charles and Lilian England, a wealthy couple from a powerful dynasty of mill owners, she hopes it will be the fresh start she needs. But as she adapts to life at the isolated Hardcastle House, it becomes clear something is not quite right about the beautiful, mysterious Mrs. England.Distant and withdrawn, Lilian shows little interest in her children or charming husband and is far from the angel of the house Ruby was expecting.As the warm, vivacious Charles welcomes Ruby into the family, a series of strange events forces her to question everything she thought she knew. Ostracized by the servants and increasingly uneasy, Ruby must face her own demons in order to prevent history from repeating itself. After all, there's no such thing as the perfect family—she should know.This captivating new feminist novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Stacey Halls is her third work of fiction and proves her one of the most exciting and compelling new storytellers of our time.
Mrs. Everything: A Novel
by Jennifer Weiner<P><P>From Jennifer Weiner, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Who Do You Love and In Her Shoes comes a smart, thoughtful, and timely exploration of two sisters’ lives from the 1950s to the present as they struggle to find their places—and be true to themselves—in a rapidly evolving world. Do we change or does the world change us? <P><P>Jo and Bethie Kaufman were born into a world full of promise. <P><P>Growing up in 1950s Detroit, they live in a perfect “Dick and Jane” house, where their roles in the family are clearly defined. Jo is the tomboy, the bookish rebel with a passion to make the world more fair; Bethie is the pretty, feminine good girl, a would-be star who enjoys the power her beauty confers and dreams of a traditional life. But the truth ends up looking different from what the girls imagined. <P><P>Jo and Bethie survive traumas and tragedies. <P><P> As their lives unfold against the background of free love and Vietnam, Woodstock and women’s lib, Bethie becomes an adventure-loving wild child who dives headlong into the counterculture and is up for anything (except settling down). Meanwhile, Jo becomes a proper young mother in Connecticut, a witness to the changing world instead of a participant. <P><P>Neither woman inhabits the world she dreams of, nor has a life that feels authentic or brings her joy. <P><P> Is it too late for the women to finally stake a claim on happily ever after? In her most ambitious novel yet, Jennifer Weiner tells a story of two sisters who, with their different dreams and different paths, offer answers to the question: How should a woman be in the world? <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
Mrs. Fletcher: A Novel
by Tom PerrottaNow an HBO series starring Kathryn Hahn! &“Light, zingy, and laugh-out-loud funny&” (People), the New York Times bestselling novel about sex, love, and identity as seen through the eyes of a middle-aged woman and her college freshman son.A forty-six-year-old divorcee whose beloved only child has just left for college, Eve Fletcher is struggling to adjust to her empty nest. One night she receives a text from an anonymous number that says, &“U R my MILF!&” Over the months that follow, that message comes to obsess Eve. While leading her all-too-placid life—serving as Executive Director of the local senior center and taking a community college course on Gender and Society—Eve can&’t curtail her own interest in a porn website that features the erotic exploits of ordinary, middle-aged women like herself. Before long, Eve&’s online fixations begin to spill over into real life, revealing new romantic possibilities that threaten to upend her quiet suburban existence. Meanwhile, miles away at the state college, Eve&’s son Brendan—a jock and aspiring frat boy—discovers that his new campus isn&’t nearly as welcoming to his hard-partying lifestyle as he had imagined. Only a few weeks into his freshman year, Brendan is floundering in a college environment that challenges his white-dude privilege and shames him for his outmoded, chauvinistic ideas of sex. As the New England autumn turns cold, both mother and son find themselves enmeshed in morally fraught situations that come to a head on one fateful November night. &“The sweetest and most charming novel about pornography addiction and the harrowing issues of sexual consent that you will probably ever read&” (The New York Times Book Review), Mrs. Fletcher is a timeless examination of sexuality, identity, parenthood, and the big clarifying mistakes people can make when they&’re no longer sure of who they are or where they belong. &“Tom Perrotta&’s latest might just be his best&” (NPR).
Mrs. Katz And Tush (A\bantam Little Rooster Book Ser.)
by Patricia PolaccoLarnel doesn't know his neighbor, Mrs. Katz, very well, until he asks her to adopt an abandoned kitten. Mrs. Katz agrees on one condition: that Larnel help her take care of the kitten she names Tush. When Larnel starts spending more and more time with Mrs. Katz to help with Tush, Mrs. Katz tells him stories about coming to America from Poland and about the good times she spent with her late husband. As Larnel grows to love Mrs. Katz, he also learns about the suffering and triumph black history shares with the Jewish heritage. <P><P> Patricia Pollaco has illustrated, as well as authored, countless picture books. She lives in Union City, Michigan.<P> Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Honor Book
Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters: A Novel
by Jennifer Chiaverini“A fascinating glimpse into the women of an influential family on the front lines of some of the most important moments of that indelible time."--BooklistThe New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker returns to her most famous heroine, Mary Todd Lincoln, in this compelling story of love, loss, and sisterhood rich with history and suspense.In May 1875, Elizabeth Todd Edwards reels from news that her younger sister Mary, former First Lady and widow of President Abraham Lincoln, has attempted suicide. Mary’s shocking act followed legal proceedings arranged by her eldest and only surviving son that declared her legally insane. Although they have long been estranged, Elizabeth knows Mary’s tenuous mental health has deteriorated through decades of trauma and loss. Yet is her suicide attempt truly the impulse of a deranged mind, or the desperate act of a sane woman terrified to be committed to an asylum? And—if her sisters can put past grievances aside—is their love powerful enough to save her? Maternal Elizabeth, peacemaker Frances, envious Ann, and much adored Emilie had always turned to one another in times of joy and heartache, first as children, and later as young wives and mothers. But when Civil War erupted, the conflict that divided a nation shattered their family. The Todd sisters’s fates were bound to their husbands’ choices as some joined the Lincoln administration, others the Confederate Army.Now, though discord and tragedy have strained their bonds, Elizabeth knows they must come together as sisters to help Mary in her most desperate hour.
Mrs. Miniver (Isis Cassettes Ser. #261)
by Jan StrutherThe beloved classic novel of an English housewife bravely enduring WWII—the basis for the Academy Award–winning film starring Greer Garson. Winston Churchill once remarked that Mrs. Miniver, the fictional British housewife featured in Jan Struther&’s newspaper columns about quotidian English life, did more for the Allied cause than a flotilla of battleships. As tensions rose across Europe, Mrs. Miniver&’s domestic concerns expanded from automobiles and Christmas shopping to include gas masks, keeping calm, and carrying on. An international sensation when it was first published, this novelized collection of those columns won America&’s heart—and broad public support for entering WWII. Mrs. Miniver&’s story was so essential to Allied morale that when William Wyler&’s film adaption was made, President Roosevelt ordered it rushed to theaters.
Mrs. Plansky's Revenge: A Novel (Mrs. Plansky #1)
by Spencer QuinnMrs. Plansky's Revenge is bestselling author Spencer Quinn's first novel in a new series since the meteoric launch of Chet and Bernie--introducing the irresistible and unforgettable Mrs. Plansky, in a story perfect for book clubs and commercial fiction readers.Mrs. Loretta Plansky, a recent widow in her seventies, is settling into retirement in Florida while dealing with her 98-year-old father and fielding requests for money from her beloved children and grandchildren. Thankfully, her new hip hasn’t changed her killer tennis game one bit.One night Mrs. Plansky is startled awake by a phone call from a voice claiming to be her grandson Will, who desperately needs ten thousand dollars to get out of a jam. Of course, Loretta obliges—after all, what are grandmothers for, even grandmothers who still haven’t gotten a simple “thank you” for a gift sent weeks ago. Not that she's counting.By morning, Mrs. Plansky has lost everything. Law enforcement announces that Loretta's life savings have vanished, and that it’s hopeless to find the scammers behind the heist. First humiliated, then furious, Loretta Plansky refuses to be just another victim.In a courageous bid for justice, Mrs. Plansky follows her only clue on a whirlwind adventure to a small village in Romania to get her money and her dignity back—and perhaps find a new lease on life, too.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame: A Novel
by Olivia Ford&“As cozy as a cup of tea and cake.&”—People&“One of those books you just want to hug to your chest. I loved it so much.&”—Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of While We Were DatingA huge-hearted, redemptive coming-of-old-age tale, a love story, and an ode to good foodNothing could be more out of character, but after fifty-nine years of marriage, as her husband Bernard&’s health declines, and her friends' lives become focused on their grandchildren—which Jenny never had—Jenny decides she wants a little something for herself. So she secretly applies to be a contestant on the prime-time TV show Britain Bakes.Whisked into an unfamiliar world of cameras and timed challenges, Jenny delights in a new-found independence. But that independence, and the stress of the competition, starts to unearth memories buried decades ago. Chocolate teacakes remind her of a furtive errand involving a wedding ring; sugared doughnuts call up a stranger&’s kind act; a simple cottage loaf brings back the moment her life changed forever.With her baking star rising, Jenny struggles to keep a lid on that first secret—a long-concealed deceit that threatens to shatter the very foundations of her marriage. It&’s the only time in six decades that she&’s kept something from Bernard. By putting herself in the limelight, has Jenny created a recipe for disaster?
Mrs Sinclair's Suitcase: 'A heart-breaking tale of loss, missed chances and enduring love' Good Housekeeping
by Louise WaltersForgive me, Dorothea, for I cannot forgive you. What you do, to this child, to this child's mother, it is wrong... Roberta likes to collect the letters and postcards she finds in second-hand books. When her father gives her some of her grandmother's belongings, she finds a baffling letter from the grandfather she never knew - dated after he supposedly died in the war.Dorothy is unhappily married to Albert, who is away at war. When an aeroplane crashes in the field behind her house she meets Squadron Leader Jan Pietrykowski, and as their bond deepens she dares to hope she might find happiness. But fate has other plans for them both, and soon she is hiding a secret so momentous that its shockwaves will touch her granddaughter many years later...
Mrs Sinclair's Suitcase: 'A heart-breaking tale of loss, missed chances and enduring love' Good Housekeeping
by Louise WaltersForgive me, Dorothea, for I cannot forgive you. What you do, to this child, to this child's mother, it is wrong... Roberta likes to collect the letters and postcards she finds in second-hand books. When her father gives her some of her grandmother's belongings, she finds a baffling letter from the grandfather she never knew - dated after he supposedly died in the war.Dorothy is unhappily married to Albert, who is away at war. When an aeroplane crashes in the field behind her house she meets Squadron Leader Jan Pietrykowski, and as their bond deepens she dares to hope she might find happiness. But fate has other plans for them both, and soon she is hiding a secret so momentous that its shockwaves will touch her granddaughter many years later...(P)2014 Hodder & Stoughton
Ms. Demeanor: A Novel
by Elinor Lipman“Ms. Demeanor is a complete and utter delight. Of course it is. What Elinor Lipman novel isn’t?”—Richard Russo, author of Empire Falls and Chances Are . . .“Who knew house arrest could be sexy and fun? Not me, at least not until I read Ms. Demeanor. Written with Elinor Lipman’s signature wit and charm, this breezy, engrossing novel tells the story of two people who make the most of their shared confinement.”—Tom Perrotta, New York Times bestselling author of Tracy Flick Can’t Win“When a neighbor’s complaint about consensual al fresco sex turns into house arrest and a suspended legal license, Jane’s recipe for survival involves cooking for another home-arrested tenant (could this be a match made in confinement?) while trying to figure out the whys and hows of her mysterious accuser. Filled with food, family, romance and intrigue, Lipman’s novel cooks up a bounty of delights as sparkling as prosecco and as deeply satisfying and delicious as a five-star meal.”—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of With or Without You From one of America’s most beloved contemporary novelists, a delicious and witty story about love under house arrestJane Morgan is a valued member of her law firm—or was, until a prudish neighbor, binoculars poised, observes her having sex on the roof of her NYC apartment building. Police are summoned, and a punishing judge sentences her to six months of home confinement. With Jane now jobless and rootless, trapped at home, life looks bleak. Yes, her twin sister provides support and advice, but mostly of the unwelcome kind. When a doorman lets slip that Jane isn't the only resident wearing an ankle monitor, she strikes up a friendship with fellow white-collar felon Perry Salisbury. As she tries to adapt to life within her apartment walls, she discovers she hasn’t heard the end of that tattletale neighbor—whose past isn’t as decorous as her 9-1-1 snitching would suggest. Why are police knocking on Jane’s door again? Can her house arrest have a silver lining? Can two wrongs make a right? In the hands of "an inspired alchemist who converts serious subject into humor” (New York Times Book Review)—yes, delightfully.
Ms. Figgy's Garment School for Girls: Learn to Sew 15 Classic Pieces
by Shelly FigueroaLearn how to make super-cute clothes from scratch with this east-to-use garment sewing guide featuring 15 fun and easy projects!Need a new dress? A chic clutch to go with that dress? No sweat! Ms. Figgy’s Garment School for Girls teaches you all the skills and techniques you need to create one-of-a-kind fashion pieces you will love. There are step-by-step instructions for dresses, clutches, t-shirts, tank tops, pajamas, skirts, and more. This guide will teach you how to measure yourself, choose the perfect fabric, and all the sewing basics you’ll need to get started. Patterns are included so that you can change necklines, sleeve styles, and skirt shapes—all while learning how different fabrics drape and feel. You’ll be your new favorite designer in no time!
Ms. Miller and the Midas Man
by Mary Kay McComasTwo heartbroken neighbors weigh the risks of their irresistible attractionMs. Augusta Miller has experienced more than her fair share of disappointment. A promising violinist, she once played with the New York Philharmonic—but after a career-ending injury, she wound up in a small-town elementary school, teaching music classes and giving violin lessons on the side. Desperate for a quiet, stable refuge, Augusta pretends not to notice her cocky, and rather handsome, next-door neighbor, a recent divorcé and single father. But Scott Hammond, the new high school principal, is hard to avoid—and it&’s obvious that he feels their chemistry, too. Can Augusta overcome her past and take a chance on love again? This ebook features an extended biography of Mary Kay McComas.
Ms. V's Hot Girl Summer: A Spicy Black Latinx Age-Gap Romance
by A.H. CunninghamTrinidad Velasquez plays by the rules. Now she has one chance—one sizzlin&’ Carnival weekend—to leave it all behind. Go on, get spicy… For the last sixteen years, Trinidad Velasquez has done everything right. Raised her twin sons on her own, worked her butt off and created a stable life. But Trinidad is done waiting for a happy ending to show up at her door, and when her current boyfriend proposes, she can&’t help but wonder if, at her age, love should be practical, not butterflies and heart-racing chemistry. But then her teenage sons trick her into a Caribbean Carnival vacation. And she finds herself staying with the one guy who&’s always revved her engine…even if he&’s a decade south of her dating range. Orlando Wiggins has never been able to take his eyes off Ms. V. He&’s mentored her boys for two years, and she&’s never suggested there could be more. But at Carnival, between the sensual dancing, heated looks and electric touches, whatever he&’s been feeling for her is definitely reciprocated. Now Trinidad is having the time of her life. Every cell in her body is charged, alive. But will this new version of who she&’s become stick around for the return to real life? From showing up to glowing up, the characters in Afterglow Books are on the path to leading their best lives and finding sizzling romance along the way. Don&’t miss any of these other fun titles…Out of Office by A.H. CunninghamThe Summer of Perfect Mistakes by Cynthia St. AubinChurch Girl by Naima Simone
The Mt. Monadnock Blues: A Novel
by Larry DubersteinJust turned forty and living alone, Tim Bannon is sliding comfortably into midlife crisis when his orphaned niece and nephew arrive on his doorstep. Though Tim loves these two children, he has his doubts about being in loco parentis. For starters, he is gay and the year is 1990--long before the age of gay buddies on primetime TV. 1990 is a time of terror, a time when even perfectly nice people fear they will die from touching a gay friend. If they have one. Nor is it clear that Tim's surviving sister, Erica, and her husband, Earl, are perfectly nice people. Sexy, flaky, undirected Erica and redneck, unapologetically reactionary Earl (who, Tim is sure, shoots his dogs to simplify summer travel plans) have their own doubts about Tim's fitness, and they enjoin a New Hampshire court to take the kids from him. As Tim marshals friends, colleagues, lawyers, and shrinks (Bannon's Queer Army of the Republic) to do battle against Earl and his folksy lawyer Merle, The Mt. Monadnock Blues draws us deeper into an edgy, moving, and often hilarious family tale, played out against the backdrop of a glorious New England summer.
A Much Married Man: A Novel
by Nicholas ColeridgeA stunning new blockbuster from the author of GODCHILDREN.An Englishman's home is his castle. Or at least it should be. But as Anthony Anscombe surveys Winchford Priory, his beautiful Elizabethan house in Oxfordshire, lurking in the village are more than one or two reminders of a life well-lived.His first wife was the hauntingly beautiful girl he married in an impulsive rush of hedonism. Amanda was never going to live up to her role as the wife of a country squire, so why does she still cast such a long shadow in Anthony's life?Sandra, the second wife, came to Anthony's rescue. Sturdy, dependable and relentlessly practical, Sandra had plans to turn the Priory into a proper family home, until that summer when it all went horribly wrong... And then there's Dita, a force of nature. Effortlessly glamorous and achingly wealthy, Dita storms through Anthony's life, organising and rearranging - particularly when it comes to previous Mrs Anscombes and their children.With the entire cast of his life roosting in the village, it's no wonder Anthony doesn't have a minute's peace.
A Much Married Man
by Nicholas ColeridgeA stunning new blockbuster from the author of GODCHILDREN.An Englishman's home is his castle. Or at least it should be. But as Anthony Anscombe surveys Winchford Priory, his beautiful Elizabethan house in Oxfordshire, lurking in the village are more than one or two reminders of a life well-lived.His first wife was the hauntingly beautiful girl he married in an impulsive rush of hedonism. Amanda was never going to live up to her role as the wife of a country squire, so why does she still cast such a long shadow in Anthony's life?Sandra, the second wife, came to Anthony's rescue. Sturdy, dependable and relentlessly practical, Sandra had plans to turn the Priory into a proper family home, until that summer when it all went horribly wrong... And then there's Dita, a force of nature. Effortlessly glamorous and achingly wealthy, Dita storms through Anthony's life, organising and rearranging - particularly when it comes to previous Mrs Anscombes and their children.With the entire cast of his life roosting in the village, it's no wonder Anthony doesn't have a minute's peace.