The year at Thrush Green Book

Circling the seasons at Thrush Green, Miss Read returns to the Cotswold village already beloved by her readers. As the snows of January yield to snowdrops and then daffodils, we look in on a host of characters - whimsical, eccentric, always keenly observed - and their daily affairs. Dotty Harmer serves up an herbal brew to her neighbor Albert Piggott, who has a soft spot for her despite his crusty facade. Architect Edward Young overhears a rumor that the old people's home he designed may be a bit cramped. An American stranger arrives in search of family ties. At the Fuchsia Bush restaurant, Albert's wife, Nellie, finds herself in charge when old Mrs. Peters falls ill, and soon she receives two surprising gifts with implications for her past and her future. As summer unfolds, so do the dramas of village life. By year's end these stories are satisfyingly interlocked, capturing a bygone era with the charm and humor that give Miss Read her enduring appeal.