Intrigue In The Village

Tales from Turnham Malpas #10

by Rebecca Shaw

Another intriguing slice of village life from the bestselling author of the Turnham Malpas and Barleybridge series.There is a mystery surrounding the invitation by Craddock Fitch to the Big House. It is billed as a celebration of his business, but when everyone is assembled, they find that it is a lavish wedding reception for two very surprising people. With these festivities over, the inhabitants of Turnham Malpas are thrown into preparations of a different nature. It is the 150th anniversary of the village school and Kate, the head teacher, is arranging a big event. She enthusiastically starts making plans, but there is one problem of which she is unaware. In asking the previous head teachers to attend, she has unwittingly placed the rector and his wife Caroline in an impossible situation...

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Sunday Times bestselling author Rebecca Shaw is known for her heartwarming tales of country life.
Rebecca grew up in Yorkshire and attended a Quaker boarding school before becoming a teacher of deaf children.
She wrote 28 novels. Her biggest series of 19 books set in a fictional English village called TURNHAM MALPAS chart the lives and loves of the village inhabitants.
A further six novels tell the stories of the vets, veterinary nurses and animals at a veterinary practice in the fictional English market town of BARLEYBRIDGE.
She also wrote three standalone novels.
Rebecca lived with her husband in a beautiful Dorset village where she found plenty of inspiration for her contemporary stories about rural life. Rebecca sadly passed away in 2015, but her stories continue to be enjoyed by readers across the globe.
Rebecca has been translated and sold in Denmark, Germany, Hungary and Norway. She is also published in the US.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, 11th in the Turnham Malpas series begins with the wedding of two slightly unlikely characters, both of whom I recalled from previous novels in the series. Most of the rest of the story is about this couple as they adjust to each other; one is wealthy but somewhat ruthless; the other more inclined to philanthropy.

There's also a rather odd thread involving seance as well as plenty of general soap-style episodes: people being fired from jobs, a new family arriving; suspicions of infidelity, accidents, and so on.

Each book is complete in itself, so it's not necessary to have read others in the series; on the other hand, there's such a big cast that it's almost impossible to keep track of who's who, even with the help of a list at the front of the book.

The writing style is casual, the characters not very well developed.... and yet there's something about these books that continues to make them compulsive reading.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cosy mystery? There's very little mystery in this novel, but it's very cosy. All the familiar characters are true to form, and cosetted me as I fell asleep listening to the audiobook. It didn't really matter much if I missed little bits out because, like all soap operas, it is always easy to pick up the story again, and it's formatted like most of the others. It is really not mind-bending at all, so just the thing for an adult bedtime story.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Everyone in the village of Turnham Malpas is invited up to the Big House for a celebration of Craddock Fitch's increasingly successful business -- but it son becomes apparent that there is more to it than that. When they are all assembled, they find out that the party is, in fact, a lavish wedding reception for two very surprising people.

"When the festivities are over, Turnham Malpas is thrown into preparations of a different nature. It is the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the village school and the head teacher, Kate, is arranging a big celebration. She enthusiastically starts making plans, but there is one problem of which she is unaware. In asking the previous head teachers to attend she has unwittingly placed the rector and his wife Caroline in an impossible situation . . .
~~back cover

Kate and Craddock. Who would have thought it! But they are apparently very much in love, much to the villagers' surprise. And the party was lovely --Jimbo surpassed himself again.

Peter and Caroline have been putting off telling the twins' about their birth mother. But as she's soon to arrive at the village (she's the wife of the former head teacher) they realize they no longer have any choice but to tell them. Alex and Beth are of course very unset by this news, and initially have problems accepting the truth. Their love for Caroline soon overcomes their confusion and dismay, and all's well in Turnham Malpas once more.

[Michelle Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot say enough good about these books. They are calming and fun, yet there are exciting plots and affairs, that would not be found in the regular gentle read. Well written you become as attached to the characters as you would in a Fannie Flagg, or a Jan Karon. It is a shame the author died before writing a lot more of them.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read. Not sure I'd read anymore of them though.

[Sherry Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books make me so happy, like visiting with friends.

[stephanie clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Village life

These are wonderful books about life in a village. Everyone knows everybody, Rebecca Shaw, brings them to life real life

[H F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daren’t give an opinion in case Amazon / Goodreads think I’m wrong and issue another unsubstantiated censure.

[Jenny Marchant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This the Archers of the west country in book form. It is a light entraining book series that has lovely twists and turns ,full of all those emotions you expect to find in a fictional book. The light Hardy of Wessex brings to mind (although not as good) follow the series and see what happens!

[Barbra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 10th in the Turnham Malpas series. Lovely gentle books about the village and villagers.

Back Cover Blurb:
Everyone in the village of Turnham Malpas is invited up to the Big House for a celebration of Craddock Fitch's increasingly successful business - but it soon becomes apparent that there is more to it than that. When they are all assembled, they find out that the party is, in fact, a lavish wedding reception for two very suprising people.
When the festivities are over, Turnham Malpas is thrown into preparations of a different nature. It is the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the village school and the head teacher, Kate, is arranging a big celebration. She enthusiastically starts making plans, but there is one problem of which she is unaware. In asking the previous head teachers to attend she has unwittingly placed the rector and his wife Caroline in an impossible situation....

[Chris Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book I've read of Rebecca Shaw. Finished in 3 days. Reminded me of many of the English mystery series. It was about life in the village of Turnham Malpas, the marriage of Craddick Fitch to teacher Kate, the villages and their seances and the scandal of the minister's family. Happy to read more if I come across them.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my opinion, one of my more favorite recent Turnham Malpas books. Glad to see Craddock Fitch and Kate so happy. I hate to see the Rector and his family leave the town, but hopefully they will have new and wonderful adventures in Africa.

[Jill Tharp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed this series. Light reading that gives you a great feel for English village life.

[Virginia]

this series started out so good and just declined. Parts of this book were great but parts were not. I stuck around till the 10th looking for the glory of the first but I never read the 11.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, shock wedding and a few funny stories mixed with sad elements in this novel.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the village stories

[Mrs L T Carver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a whole series of fantastic books