Charm, wit and optimism
Sometimes it seems that your choices in fiction are limited to beautifully written but serious (or outright depressing!) books or not terribly well written, fluffy books with happy endings. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is both entertaining and satisfying.
Major Pettigrew is a lonely widower spending his retirement in the lovely English village of Edgecombe St. Mary. He is a crusty, proper, stiff upper lip kind of man saddened by the changes he sees all around him. He discovers a kindred spirit, not in the gaggle of local ladies of a certain age who haunt the golf club, but in Mrs Ali, the widow who owns the village shop. They share their kindness, their intelligence, their interest in literature and their dismay at the behaviour of some of their relatives especially Major Pettigrew's grasping son and Mrs Ali's grimly religious nephew.
The writing is dryly witty and the author understands the subtle nuances of village snobbery. There are many subplots involving a pair of very valuable guns, knitting needles as weapons, a small boy named George, the local bigwig's plans to sell off some of his land, and the annual golf club dinner dance, all of it culminating in surprisingly exciting but also touching conclusion.
The book is also available in audio on CD, as an eAudiobook or as a Talking Book (Restricted to Print Disabled Patrons).
One thought on “Charm, wit and optimism”
Sounds great. I’m definitely going to seek this one out. Thanks!