Die Muschelsucher (The Shell Seekers) Book

"The most ordinary of prospects caused her to stop and stare. The last of the leaves dropped from the trees, and the bare branches made lace against pale skies. Sun after rain turned cobbled streets blue as fish scales, dazzling to the eye. Autumn winds, whipping the bay to a scud of white-caps, brought with them, not cold, but a surging sense of vitality…"

Penelope Keeling knows how to live life to the fullest and I absolutely adore her! She grasps those things that matter most in life - the comfort of a home, the security of a loving mother, the laughter of friends and family, the feel of soil and the beauty of the outdoors, the enticing smells of home-cooked meals, and the allure of a splendid painting. When I come across a character in one of my books that touches me and makes me want to re-examine my own life, then I know I have found a gem.

Of course, we're all familiar with the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover". Unfortunately, I have been guilty of that offense in the past and no less so with this book. I have seen Rosamunde Pilcher's novels in bookstores and libraries and have admittedly walked right on by due to their overly feminine and botanic covers. I didn't think they were "my sort of book". However, I decided to give this one a try when I discovered some trusted Goodreads friends were reading this. Well, thank goodness I did - such a true delight! At the outset, we learn that Penelope is a sixty-four-year old widow that has had a surprise glimpse at her own mortality. We are introduced to her three adult children - Nancy, Olivia and Noel - as well as others that have touched her life at some point or another - her treasured mother and father, an ill-suited husband, a loyal friend, a devoted lover, a grieving young woman and a secretive yet trustworthy gardener. Each character is drawn with such depth and clarity that I felt I really knew each and every one of them. The title of this novel, The Shell Seekers, derives from a painting given to Penelope by her father, the prominent artist Lawrence Stern. When the now deceased Lawrence Stern's works of art become much sought-after, the value of this and other pieces increases significantly. Each of Penelope's children have their own thoughts about what should be done with this and other works in their mother's possession. What they desire reveals to us much about each of them, their innermost substance. As with real people, what we see is not all pretty. Pilcher has the gift of depicting riveting family dynamics. "Family rows are like car accidents. Every family thinks, 'It couldn't happen to us,' but it can happen to everybody. The only way to avoid them is to drive with the greatest care and have much consideration for others."

Penelope makes a journey to Cornwall, both in spirit and literally, where she sweeps us along to revel in the landscape and her own cherished memories. I loved every minute of this visit and will miss my time spent with Penelope. Heart-warming, memorable, and a bit of a tear-jerker, The Shell Seekers is a treasure I won't soon forget. I am quite pleased that several more Rosamunde Pilcher novels now grace my bookshelf with their blossoming covers and their promise of comfort and pure reading satisfaction.