Page 69 - Phonebox Magazine November 2012

Book Review By Oxfam Bookshop, Olney
The Unfinished Garden by Barbara Claypole White
Tilly, a young English widow is living in North Carolina with her small son, Isaac and building up her garden nursery business. She receives a phone call from her mother who has fallen and broken her leg, so determines to travel to England to care for her. This is not entirely altruistic; it will enable Tilly to escape from the demands of James, a strange young man who is insistent that Tilly landscapes his garden, despite the fact that she has no experience of such work.
Woven throughout the novel is the theme of the garden; James persuades Tilly to teach him how to tend a garden – difficult when his condition will not allow him to get his hands dirty. It is also a metaphor for life and the growth of understanding and compassion for those who are damaged.
Matters are complicated when she arrives in the family home by the fact that Sebastian, with whom she had a relationship as a girl, has moved into the village and meeting him again is unavoidable. Worse is to come as James follows her to England, still making demands upon her expertise. We discover that James suffers from an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) which affects every aspect of his life and causes problems with interpersonal skills. Add to the mix Rowena, Tillyʼs best friend and confidante, and the result is a fascinating exploration of the personalities of these characters and the way they relate to one another.
The characters are extremely well drawn, and their development holds the readerʼs interest throughout. It is a novel to be enjoyed and also to be discussed by members of book clubs, who will find the questions for discussion at the back of the book helpful.
Dolly and the Bird of Paradise by Dorothy Dunnett
There is an added interest: the writer was brought up locally, and her mother still lives in Turvey. Moreover, at the beginning of Chapter 29 there is a reference to ʻthe historic market town of Olneyʼ in which there is ʻa wonderful Oxfam shopʼ. Thank you, Barbara, for putting us on the map!
Rita Gedes is a make-up artist engaged to make-up the media star Natalie Sheridan for a session with photographer
on her assailant helps her to identify him and despite the cool reasoning of those around her, she lays her own plans for investigaion and retribution.
Ferdy Braithwaite. The appointment is not at Ferdyʼs normal studio as expected but in that of portrait painter Johnson Johnson, loaned for the occasion
There are, however, more strands to this mystery than she realises and when a friend dies, when Johnson makes a reappearance aboard his yacht Dolly and as the action moves from Madeira to the West Indies, Ritaʼs perception of what appeared to be a personal grudge is forced to change to include wider issues including international drug smuggling. Hurricanes at sea, boarding by pirates and a personal tragedy combine to make Rita reassess many of her ideas about her life. This is a story with many twists and turns which relies not on violent action (although there is some of that) but on misleading impressions, mystery and intrigue to move the story along. Above all it relies on its characters, particularly the enigmatic Johnson, the ebullient Ferdy and the determined, redoubtable Rita, to engage the reader.
even though it is part of the painterʼs Mayfair flat and the owner is in residence - but seemingly out of action after some sort of accident. Rita has her
own reasons for wishing to work for Ms Sheridan but hasnʼt counted on being manoeuvred by Ferdy into ʻbaby-sittingʼ Johnson for 24 hours, however,
making the most of a bad lot, coping with her own problems, and with her eye firmly on her own agenda, Rita stays.
The photo session, as hoped, leads to an invitation for Rita to do more work for Ms Sheridan and she jets off to Madeira for her first
Newer editions of this book have the title Tropical Issues. Presumably this is because it is no longer acceptable to refer to women as ʻbirdsʼ. In this instance, however, the original title doesnʼt really reflect the usual connotations of such a term and is particularly apt – read it and find out why!
commission abroad, only to be kidnapped from
the airport, threatened and beaten up. But Ritaʼs motto is “When in doubt, attack” and the damage she manages to inflict
Son Seeks Vengeance in Gritty New Novel
Local author, Graham Heywood, publishes first novel, painting a story of corruption and conspiracy – and revenge
Revenge Grows Harsh is a thriller following the story Jack and Joe, two teenage friends who get mixed up in the dangerous world of drug smuggling, insurance fraud and money laundering.
About the Author
When Jackʼs mother is murdered he and Joe set out for revenge and soon find more trouble than they could have bargained for. Their gritty quest for vengeance takes many twists and turns as they encounter corrupt lawyers and all types of shady characters looking to circumvent the law.
Graham Heywood was born in Manchester and has lived in Stoke Goldington for almost 15 years with his family and their basset hound. Revenge Grows Harsh is his first novel, and the first book in a planned series. Graham is currently working on turning the book into a screenplay.
Heywood draws heavily from his experience in the insurance business. He says, “Revenge Grows Harsh is based on my real life experience of fraudulent insurance claims. It is a story of retribution, forgiveness and the relationship between two friends from opposite sides of the tracks. A crime thriller set in both Manchester and Milton Keynes.”
The book is available in all formats, Kindle, paperback and hardback and is available from Amazon and Waterstones. If you have a copy, Graham says he would be happy to sign it for you and he asks if you enjoy the book to please leave a review on the Amazon site.
More information about the book can be found on Grahamʼs website www.grahamheywood.com Phonebox Magazine 69
Reviews brought to you by Oxfam Books & Music Stanley Court, Olney
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The books reviewed above are from Oxfam Books and Music, Olney, which sells donated books, records, CDs, tapes and music to raise money for Oxfam’s work in combating poverty around the world.
Review by Thelma Shacklady
Review by Sandra Metcalf