Mary Ann and Bill

The Mary Ann Series #8

by Catherine Cookson

The story of Mary Ann and her trials as her husband and twins decide they want to adopt a little bull terrier. But this is insignificant compared with her next ordeal when a blonde comes into her husband's life

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction

172 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1967

About the author

Catherine Cookson was born in Tyne Dock, the illegitimate daughter of a poverty-stricken woman, Kate, who Catherine believed was her older sister. Catherine began work in service but eventually moved south to Hastings, where she met and married Tom Cookson, a local grammar-school master.

Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular contemporary woman novelist. She received an OBE in 1985, was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993, and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997.

For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne.

Reviews

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This, sadly, is the last of the Mary Ann novels. I would love for there to be more. I would like to read about Mary Ann up till she entered a nursing home or passed on. She has been a ton of fun at every age so far. In this one she is 27 years old. Her twins, Rose Mary and David are still six and still getting into trouble. David has learned to swear and Rose Mary always gets her way. On top of these troublesome twins, Mary Ann now has to deal with a bull terrier, Bill.

At first, things don't look good for Bill, the barmy bull terrier. He tears up Mary Ann's chairs and piddles and poos on her kitchen floor. But Mary Ann has a lot more on her mind when her husband Corny starts making "google" eyes at a young girl working nearby who obviously has Corny marked as her latest "bull's eye."

Things just may work out all right tho and Bill may have a paw in it. I laughed out loud four or five times and even got a bit onion eyed at the end. A fabulous ending to a terrific series.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The twins Rosemary and David are up to their usual antics making everyone around them howl with laughter at their precociousness. Then one day on a Saturday outing they are handed a Bull Terrier puppy as a gift and their lives get really exciting. Bill the Bull Terrier takes control of the household destroying as he goes along until one day he gets out after the kids have left for school and goes over to a construction site where one of the workmen for a joke scoop him up in the back hoe. Mary Anne comes to his rescue and then she is forever in his affections. Corny has his own temptations in this novel which upsets Mary Ann and everyone around him. The story has lots of laughs and is a thoroughly good short read.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the series. Wanted more.

[Amy Brook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Mary Ann Series but feel this last one one was the best yet, such a shame there wasn’t a carry on series for the full life of Mary Ann.

[Lili · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read all of Catherine Cookson's books some years ago and enjoyed them immensley. I recently re-read all of them and find that on a second look I found them all so very predictable, and was rather disappointed. However I'm sure that it is my tastes that have changed not the calibre of her story telling.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

8th in series