The Hoarder's Widow

Widows #1

by Allie Cresswell

Suddenly-widowed Maisie sets out to clear her late husband's collection; wonky furniture and balding rugs, bolts of material for upholstery projects he never got round to, gloomy pictures and outmoded electronics, other people's trash brought home from car boot sales and rescued from the tip. The hoard is endless, stacked into every room in the house, teetering in piles along the landing and forming a scree up the stairs. It is all part of Clifford's waste-not way of thinking in which everything, no matter how broken or obscure, can be re-cycled or re-purposed into something useful or, if kept long enough, will one day be valuable. He had believed in his vision as ardently as any mystic in his holy revelation but now, without the clear projection of his vision to light it up for her as what it would be, it appears to Maisie more grimly than ever as what it is: junk. As Maisie disassembles his stash she is forced to confront the issues which drove her husband to squirrel away other people's rubbish; after all, she knows virtually nothing about his life before they met. Finally, in the last bastion of his accumulation, she discovers the key to his hoarding and understands - much too late - the man she married. Then, with empty rooms in a house which is too big for her, she must ask herself: what next?

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction

443 pages, Paperback

Published January 28, 2016

About the author

I have been writing stories since I could hold a pencil and by the time I was in Junior School I was writing copiously and sometimes almost legibly.

It was at this time that I had the difference between fiction and lies forcefully impressed upon me, after penning a long and entirely spurious account of my grandfather’s death and funeral.....

The teacher had permitted it as being good therapy for bereavement whereas in fact it was only a good excuse to get out of learning my multiplication tables (something I have never achieved).

Clearly I was forgiven. For for my next birthday I asked for a stack of writing paper and my parents obliged, it being more easily obtained and wrapped than a pony.

A BA in English and Drama at Birmingham University was followed by an MA in English at Queen Mary College but marriage and motherhood put my writing career on hold for some years until 1992 when I began work on Game Show.

In the meantime I worked as a production manager for an educational publishing company, an educational resources copywriter, a bookkeeper for a small printing firm, and was the landlady of a country pub in Yorkshire, a small guest house in Cheshire and the proprietor of a group of boutique holiday cottages in Cumbria.

I am currently teaching literature in the community alongside full time writing.

I have two grown-up children, Tom and Abby, and am married to Tim.

I live in Cheshire.

Reviews

[Sassa Margot · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hoarder's Widow
Allie Cresswell
354 pages, $8.50 Kindle, $12.99 paperback

We meet our protagonist Maisie at the moment of her transformation from wife to widow as her husband Clifford Wilde makes what can only be described as a spectacular exit from his role as husband, protector and, as the title gives away, hoarder. Author Allie Cresswell’s language delights throughout from the fiery first page, as she swiftly, concretely and vividly dispatches poor Clifford, allowing him a brief moment to explain himself before launching into the main adventure, Maisie’s long-delayed blossoming into the person she was meant to be.

Long confined and nearly entombed by her husband’s towering piles of broken treasures, we meet Maisie as she must deal with the logistics and shock of widowhood. I did not expect such a delightful journey from such a sad and soggy beginning. Though the rains fall often in this tale set in a lonely house at the end of a lane in the English countryside, Maisie’s personal journey and the friendships, knowledge and family she gains along the way are as warm and bright and comforting as a shiny copper kettle calling the reader to tea. The story is infused with a deep empathy and tenderness for the flawed and difficult personalities struggling with their challenges, whether it be Maisie coming to grips with what she has lost during her years with Clifford and the secrets she must face, or her hen party of new friends squabbling, or her limited and awkward grown children fluttering around her, casualties as much as she was of their father’s odd tendencies.

I do not wish to rob readers of the pleasures of meeting the emerging Maisie and her new friends, so I will not describe them except to say that their interactions provide wonderful moments of humor and poignancy as they accompany Maisie on her journey to her new life. Ms. Cresswell possesses a deft and elegant touch in creating her vivid characters both major and minor, all cracked pots and imperfect, but treated as worthy of happiness even so.

The plot may be simple, but it moves along at a comfortable clip, moving inexorably forward as Maisie uncovers old secrets and makes new friendships. Along the way, Maisie and the reader explore family, those families we are born into and marry as well as those we create with our friends or claim through duty mingled with forgiveness and understanding.

Film producers working with actresses “of a certain age” who complain of the lack of juicy parts for women of middle age would do well to grab this book and imagine casting Maisie and her friends. I can see a delightful ensemble piece, full of heart and insight into human foibles, anchored by Maisie and filled out by her friends, a must-see cozy film for those of us who long for something on the big screen without car chases or space aliens.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys superbly written, character-driven fiction. There is nothing flashy in this simple tale, but it is a rich and filling feast of real and complex characters muddling through life’s challenges and finding their way forward together. I would write more, but I need to go find out what else Ms. Cresswell has written, and settle in with a cup of tea and another of her stories.

[Yesha- Books Teacup and Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

review - https://booksteacupreviews.com/2023/0...

The Hoarder’s Widow is contemporary fiction about the life journey of forty-eight year old Maisie who lived with her husband who had a compulsive hoarding disorder for 20 years. Now after his death, she feels alone and lost in a house full of junk that was responsible for her husband’s death, dealing with grief, the guilt of wanting to get rid of the junk that are only remainings of her husband, and at the same time coming across a stash of her husband’s past that he never shared to her. It made that belief true, “it takes a whole life to know a person and still, you don’t know them completely".

I had trouble getting into the book. The writing was good but there were lots of descriptions of the house and hoards with many adjectives and long paragraphs with only separators indicating the change of chapters/scenarios. It made the pace too slow for my liking. Once I got used to writing, I found the story touching and beautiful. I actually loved the concept. I don’t think I read a book about hoarding disorder before.

Most of the story is written in the third person narrative from Maisie’s perspective. It was amazing to see her determination and will to finally make her house and life of her own.

There are intermittent chapters with Clifford’s perspective that helped in knowing his character much better. Reading his POV along with the revelation of his past, made me feel for him and changed my view towards him.

I loved the second half more which showed the transformation in Maisie, the new Maisie, and revelations of Clifford’s past. The theme and layers in the book are well-written.

Overall, The Hoarders Widow is a touching contemporary about compulsive hoarding and how that affects the lives of people living with the hoarder with a well-written theme and layers.

[Ursula · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly good read with a whole selection box of characters helping Maisie discover who she really is and why her husband became such an obsessed hoarder. Even the voice of the deceased Clifford makes several journal-type appearances to provide his own perspective. He attracted more and more of my sympathy as I came to understand his experiences in life in parallel to the feisty Maisie’s own discoveries about him and about herself. I liked Maisie; she is good-natured and tolerant with a huge capacity for love.

This is a moving story containing some beautiful writing threaded with affectionate humour and seeded with moments of poignancy. The wry observations of nature, communities, family dynamics and social occasions are constantly entertaining. There’s even a road-trip section which lets us see people in a different environment.

Until I came to write this review I forgot I had been completely wrong-footed and red-herringed for much of the story! Never mind - Allie Cresswell’s ending was much better and more optimistic than the one I’d been expecting.

I think the writer’s husband designed the very attractive cover.

[Grace J Reviewerlady · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book in a series I am very much looking forward to continuing!

Clifford surprised his wife, Maisie, when he bought a large house standing beyond the edge of the village. He then began to fill it - not with the beautiful furniture she would have appreciated, but with 'projects'. Things which 'one day' he would restore and they would enhance their home. In the meantime - which lasted a lifetime for Clifford - the house was full of clutter which extended into every nook and cranny. Then Clifford dies suddenly, and Maisie is left with a massive amount of hoarder's 'junk' to dispose of.

I was recently contacted by this author with a view to reviewing the forthcoming third novel, so I took the opportunity to catch up on the series beforehand. I can't tell you how glad I am that I did. Allie Cresswell is a hidden gem! This is very much my kind of novel - family, friends, a bit of a mystery and so very much more - all so very well written. I have revelled in this one, enjoying each and every word and currently I am making myself wait to read the second one. I have a friend who lived under similar circumstances and, upon retirement, she left and found herself a small cottage where she could live clutter-free and have her children visit as they had long given up dealing with their father's clutter which extended to cover the whole front garden! As with any great series, this is a complete read on it's own while also leaving it open for more to come - and I can't wait! An absorbing and entertaining read, so easily deserving of all five sparkling stars and my highest recommendation! *****

[Sandy McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely poignant.

Clifford Wilde's death leaves behind a confused widow and children, as well as an old unfinished house full of various items he has been collecting for years. There are lots of surprises and hidden secrets unearthed as his widow Maisie begins the unenviable task of sorting through his unusual collection.
A brilliantly penned story which is sad, tragic and incredibly moving. I found it impossible to put down.

[Joe Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hoarder's Widow is the tale of Maisie, who, after living for over 20 years with a husband who is a compulsive hoarder, suddenly finds herself alone when he is killed in a household accident. Left in a house full of junk and trinkets of nearly every kind, she becomes haunted by Clifford's hoard, afraid to get rid of it, as it is all that remains of him.

The story is at times beautiful and at times depressing, as Maisie works to come out of a shell that's encrusted her for over 20 years of living with a husband that is paranoid and antisocial. Watching her life unfold before her as she contemplates new friendships, leaving the house for vacations, and even spending some money on grooming and personal considerations, we accompany a forty-eight year old woman as she seems to actually experience life for the first time. All the while, though, there is the specter of Clifford's most personal belongings, from before their marriage, which he has always strictly forbidden anyone to touch.

The revelations at the end are enormous, and Cresswell does a good job of sprinkling in the hints without making what's coming painfully obvious. I have to say, as someone who reads mostly SciFi and Fantasy, that this was a different experience for me, but a welcome one. Perhaps part of it is because I've known (and currently know) hoarders, and it really opened my eyes to what it may be like for their spouses. But either way, this was a very enjoyable story.

[Kathy Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book with a central subject of hoarding and how it affects all those associated with the hoarder. I bought it on Amazon because it was book #1 of a series and I already had gotten book #2 off a free website in preparation for a vacation read.

I’m glad I purchased it because it was an intriguing story written from 2 viewpoints; Maisie Wilde, recently widowed and her husband, Clifford, who died of electrocution, crush injuries, cranial fracture, and a fire in his garage.

As the story evolves we find out the history of both Clifford and Maisie, how they met, their marriage, and their connection with a local important family, the Harrington’s. I enjoyed the process as Maisie evolves into a new person in her widowhood.

I immediately jumped into book #2 (The Widow’s Mite) because I wanted to find out how the characters and storyline progresses! I’m hoping there will be a book #3 about the back story of one of the other ladies in this interesting group.

[Estelle Howes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It is a great story line about a wife who finally finds her true self after her husband of many years suddenly dies in an accident.

I wasn't sure where the story would go, but loved the introduction of the various characters. It was lovely reading about the friendships Maisie formed and how she finally started to make her own life. It was also interesting as Maisie learnt more about her husband's background, something he had never told her during all their years of marriage.

The story has been explained in depth in other reviews, so I won't repeat that here. However, this really is a lovely read and I would recommend it. I read it on holiday and it was a perfect holiday book!

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was painful to read, and not just because of the typos throughout the whole book. The storyline was intriguing, but the execution was not good. I got the feeling that the writer was trying to "write like a writer" and just got stuck in her head. The writing is over-wrought, repetitive, and has no depth. The main character is written like a naive, gullible child. The dialogue is flowery and unrealistic. The tangential middle section of the book is about a trip with alcoholic, sexually promiscuous, cheap, old lesbian friends. It lasts forever and ever. If I read one more thing about false eyelashes and Whist, I was going to scream. There is no emotional depth - how can it when the whole book sounds like this?

On going into the attic to open a trunk: "The light refracts, through the dusty miasma in the air and off the glittering surfaces of glass and gilt, throwing rainbows and dancing shadows onto the whitewashed gables and the laths in the eaves. The wind moans through the chinks in the slates like the chant of monks in a cloister. She feels like a priestess in a high, sacred cupola, conducting a religious rite amongst holy relics and consecrated artefacts."

"The unspeakable sadness of it liquefies Maisie’s heart. She gathers the blanket and the teddy bear to her body, and rocks, and moans, like the wind without. The pent up distress of the last few weeks’ revelations pours out of her; the shock and surprise, the acrid jealousy and hot resentment against the Harringtons. Most caustic of all is the startling vehemence of her antagonism to the idea that [removed for spoilers]. They coalesce into a molten core of such toxicity that Maisie feels if she does not exorcise it, it will burn her up."

"It releases a little faucet of emotion, of longing and missing, and a species of maternal panic which she knows is ridiculous and mustn’t be indulged. The whole thing coalesces into that hard nugget of anxiety which she carries around with her whenever Gareth is away. Even the previous night’s outpouring, as copious as it was, has still left an unspent reservoir which remains very close to the surface, liable to erupt if not strictly schooled."

"...behind the onion’s sting is a liquid gratitude for her friends."

[David Crosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book started out with such an over-the-top description of an accidental death that I thought it might be a humorous tale. While there is a lot of dry English wit, it's certainly not a funny story. Allie Cresswell does a remarkable job of telling of a seemingly ordinary life in a way that you can't put it down.
There are twists and turns aplenty, and her lyrically descriptive language paints a compelling picture of the house she lives in. I found myself wishing for photographs of the towering piles of clutter that inhabit the home her husband has made for her. The characters are richly described, and even those cast as villains manage to have a sympathetic side to them.
Cresswell says in an end of book discussion section that she is aiming for literary fiction in her writing, and I'd say she's certainly achieved it. This book is a surprise from beginning to end. I plan to read more of her work.

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hoarder's Widow is a deftly-handled family drama that makes for compulsive reading. The writing is impeccable throughout, the story compelling, and the characters feel organic and consistent. A faint streak of melancholy runs through the book, and there is a sense of inevitability that is very well-maintained. The 'twist' in the closing chapters is well-handled, and never feels like an exploitative heavy-handed hook. The book is peppered with beautiful images and ends with a particularly poignant one.
At times I found the story overly dense and had to labour a little to hold on to the thread around the halfway point, but that's a highly subjective matter and not a criticism as such. This story is tragic, tender and absorbing. Highly recommended.

[sharon mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do believe that Allie Cresswell has moved to the head of my top five current authors

Not since my longstanding love of Southern writers led by Pat Conroy and trickling on up into the giggles of Fannie Flagg have I been so taken with an author's ability to tell a story as I have since making the 'accidental ' acquaintance of Allie Cresswell. Like the Southern belles, she sweeps down the stairs with style and grace, her speech well modulated but without doubt as to meaning and her characters bring forth charm, emotions and logic as unblemished as peachy skin. Her writing ability is extraordinary, her plots and sequences without error and her books are more than a pleasure to consume, they are a privileged delight.

[Becca Dunlop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allie never fails to fully capture the feelings of her characters. The people that she depicts in The Hoarder’s Widow are no different and there are certainly a lot of feelings! She cleverly unpacks Maisie’s house, heart and mind at the same time as telling elements of Clifford’s own, separate, story. She gives just enough clues to unanswered questions to keep you hooked (and guessing) throughout the book. And in this case, she has answered just enough questions to make the tale complete, while laying the groundwork for a sequel! I do hope that it is written soon. A heartfelt, heart-warming account of a very hidden, personal problem. A well written page turner.

[Arkgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredibly interesting read about obsessions, family dynamics and the moulding of character through circumstances. It is written with beautiful, descriptive, passages that conjure up strong images, a wonderful cast of characters and a plot that sometimes wanders off from the main narrative but in an engaging way that adds to the layers in this book.
Maisie has lost her husband, Clifford, in a tragic accident but despite their many years together there is much hidden about her husband's past and as she slowly unpicks their life together she starts to discover what might have led him to be a compulsive hoarder; the evidence of his 'addiction' is all around her in the house that never totally became the dream home that Clifford aspired to create.

It is a book that challenges and might make you look at your own home and the ingrained habits we often have; if, like me, you have a slight tendency to keep rather than throw it might make you stop and think why?! [you never know when you might be able to finish that quilting project from 20 years ago or discover the lost puzzle piece that will make your jigsaw complete so just pile them up in the cupboard!!] The book also has a mystery element as we wonder what connections there might be to local families and why did Clifford want them to live such a secluded life?
Maisie emerges gradually from amidst the heaps as she makes new friends and starts to decide what plans she has for her future ... she is somebody you feel is caring but naive about the world and there was just one jarring note in a small incident with new friend Gwen. Clifford shares some of his own story in short chapters and as we discover more and more of his life, thoughts and past; some of these sections, told in a dry, unemotional style, are the ones that really broke my heart and you find yourself wishing he could have just shared some of his insecurities earlier.
There is warmth, humour and a lightness of touch to the writing style but also the characters have an honesty and truth about them that can produce some strong emotions in the reader. The new group of friends, that share an eventful trip to the Lakes, add their own stories to the mix and really make the book a great start to a journey; I am delighted to read that the stories of the family and friends in this book will be continued as I was left with many questions. A moving read, many thanks to Allie Cresswell and TBR for the chance to read this enjoyable and thought provoking book.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the poignant story of Maisie who is suddenly left widowed after the death of her husband Clifford, in what can only be described as a freak accident.
Throughout their marriage Maisie and her children have been surrounded by Clifford’s hoarding obsession, and I must admit I started to see this as a type of abuse. In fact, right from the start where we first meet the young couple, and he’s bought this run-down, out-of-the-way house without even telling her or getting her opinion, I didn’t like him!
Cresswell writes beautifully though, and has a way of engaging her reader and almost ‘talking you round’ your dislike of a character. Through her eventual revelations as to why Clifford was the way he was, I grudgingly admitted a certain compassion towards him. I would have thought that upon his death, one of the first things Maisie would have done would have been to open those boxes that were strictly off limits for her entire marriage. I still think that the fact that it took her so long to do so was borne out of a certain measure of fear.
I loved Maisie’s practical pragmatism. Although she’s initially overwhelmed by the curveball that life has thrown at her, realising that she literally has a mammoth task to confront, she soon settles to breaking it down into small, bite-size chunks, clearing out manageable sections of the house at a time. She also teaches herself to navigate the outside world on her own, one step at a time, something that she’s not used to, as Clifford wasn’t partial to socialising (again, I interpreted this as a type of abuse and manipulation, although I may be being a bit extreme due to my initial dislike of his character).
One of my biggest shocks, quite early on, was to discover that Maisie was not the elderly widow that I had imagined her to be! I was picturing her as this sweet, rather feeble lady, possibly in her late sixties or seventies and she’s only 48 – that’s a year younger than me!!
This is a charming book that takes a sensitive look into the relationships that exist in a marriage, between both husband and wife and parents and children; between families, extended families and their social interactions. It examines what we’re willing to tolerate for our partners and what we’re able to overlook for the sake of keeping the peace in our homes.
Many thanks to the author and TBC Reviewer Request Group (on Facebook) for my copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.

[Julie Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suddenly-widowed Maisie sets out to clear her late husband's collection; wonky furniture and balding rugs, bolts of material for upholstery projects he never got round to, gloomy pictures and outmoded electronics, other people's trash brought home from car boot sales and rescued from the tip. The hoard is endless, stacked into every room in the house, teetering in piles along the landing and forming a scree up the stairs. It is all part of Clifford's waste-not way of thinking in which everything, no matter how broken or obscure, can be re-cycled or re-purposed into something useful or, if kept long enough, will one day be valuable. He had believed in his vision as ardently as any mystic in his holy revelation but now, without the clear projection of his vision to light it up for her as what it would be, it appears to Maisie more grimly than ever as what it is: junk. As Maisie disassembles his stash she is forced to confront the issues which drove her husband to squirrel away other people's rubbish; after all, she knows virtually nothing about his life before they met. Finally, in the last bastion of his accumulation, she discovers the key to his hoarding and understands - much too late - the man she married. Then, with empty rooms in a house which is too big for her, she must ask herself: what next?

This book was very hard for me to read – not because I didn’t like it but more because I couldn’t see where it was going; and I’ve never actually come across a hoarder. I’d never thought about how it would affect the hoarder’s family or why anybody starts to hoard. It has given me plenty to think about. 3.5*

[Vanessa Wild · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Maisie's husband, Clifford, dies in a tragic accident at home, she decides to clear out his clutter, his hoarding obsession, 'things which maybe useful when fixed'. As she wades through all the junk which has taken over her house, she comes across some boxes, the contents of which Clifford kept secret although Maisie has always been aware of them. Just what is in these boxes and is it the key to Clifford's past and why he was as he was?

This is an intriguing story and gives a good insight into the mind of a compulsive hoarder. It's told mainly from the point of view of Maisie but is interspersed with Clifford's eloquent and sometimes touching thoughts.

A well written tale and, at times, quite witty, it made me laugh and it also made me a little sad. The narrative is very vivid and descriptive. There are some interesting and realistic characters, some of whom can be compared to those we know in our own lives. Maisie is my favourite and I love that she starts to come out of her shell and enjoy life. The tale flows beautifully and it kept my attention throughout. By the end of the book I had guessed what one of secrets was. Nevertheless there are a few twists and turns and it keeps you wondering just who Clifford was and what led him to obsess so.

An absorbing, thought-provoking and poignant story which I very much enjoyed. I look forward to reading more about Maisie's adventures in the future!

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hoarder’s Widow is written by Allie Cresswell. This book deals with hoarding. Hoarding is a branch of compulsive obsessive disorder and not much has been written about it. Sometimes it is caused by some trauma in early life and sometimes it is a trait passed on in a family. Allie looks at it from the wife’s point of view. Why did her husband hoard? How will she deal with this now that he has died? Why did she allow it to occur?
Maisie has to pick up her life after Clifford’s death. He had moved them to the country to a huge house where they raised their children who were now gone. To cheer her up, her son Dominic and his small family and her daughter Frances and her beau Maxim were joining her. Only son Gareth was unable to come. She begins to see the house from other’s views. There is no much Stuff in the rooms and hallways that the rooms are blocked in and are stacked with broken items Clifford planned to fix one day. Then she wonders what caused Clifford to hoard like this? What was in his past that he didn’t tell her? What was in the boxes he would never open himself?
The book is interesting although it moves slow in parts. It takes a lot to really figure out what is going on and where did she want to go next and in the future.

[Dharvi Baniwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an emotional story of recently widowed Massie, wife of a compulsive hoarder. I really felt bad for her more than once throughout the novel. Her husband was not just a hoarder but a pessimist as well but she admirably dealt him with patience. Having never experienced much of the world outside home, this book shows her journey of making friends and how world is not as threatening as her husband portrays. Despite my initial dislike for her husband, reading his accounts really put him in different light and I started understanding his compulsions. What is even more adorable is that Massie and Clifford both have motherly nature, to love and to protect which they however manifest in different ways. I think Clifford in his own ways loved massie and was protective of her. I was left wondering, if Clifford didn't have any past baggage and if it hadn't manifested in hoarding then may be they would have lived more lovingly. It is a poignant and a charming read, I have to say I did almost cry on one ocassion. I felt so sad for Clifford to never found any closure on his issues and for massie to have to live with abusive hoarding.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

How well do we really know somebody?? When Clifford is killed in a freak accident involving a boiler, fire and faulty electrics, Maisie is left reeling from the shock of having widowhood suddenly thrust upon her. The problem she is faced with is what to do with Clifford’s hoard – all the bits and pieces that were collected by Clifford ‘just in case’ or to do a job that never got done.

As Maisie starts to clear Clifford’s hoard she starts to change as a person, makes new friends and thus begins a journey of self discovery. On this journey Massie begins to uncover secrets about Clifford and perhaps an explanation as to why he was like he was

Switching between the past and present, the story evolves and secrets come out of the woodwork.

An excellent book and a story that will have you gripped from beginning to end. A definite 5 star read!

[Suzanne Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and told

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the descriptive and creative language, the style of writing, so perfect for this story. Gentle, thought provoking and warm. Interesting and different subject matter made you want to read on to unravel the explanations of the past and I felt the book unfolded slowly and beautifully. The characters were believable and varied tinged with just the right amount of humor. There are loose ends which I am looking forward to reading about in subsequent books.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read about, and seen documentaries about hoarders that have died surrounded by the trash piled to the ceilings and beyond in their homes. I had to feel for Maisie but also count her lucky that Clifford wasn't a "messy hoarder"...some might even call him a "collector" whose collections got out of hand. Now Maisie has to deal with not only widowhood but his broken "treasures". The plot is simple and it takes the reader on a delightful journey as Maisie strives to put her house back in order. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a well written, well told tale.

[Annette Spratte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. What an intriguing story! An emotional roller coaster ride, but in such a down-to-earth, loving manner. The psychological aspects carry strongly and give loads of food for thought, something I absolutely love.
This story is going to stay with me for a while, I'm sure, with all its quirky, burdened characters that nevertheless somehow need and support each other. I just love how the author holds a magnifying glass on the soul of her characters without ever shaming them.
Such a brilliant writer.

[Fiona Hewlett-parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maisie’s Husband dies in the first sentence of the book leaving behind Maisie, his three adult children,and a house full, literally full, of items which might have been useful,with a bit of love.

All the characters are beautifully described and people I would like to meet, except Dominic’s wife who sounds awful, and Frances who needs a slap. There is a secret, new Friends and a well told story. Worth reading!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable story with realistic characters

While on the surface this story appears to be a look into A hoarder's world and how it affects the lives of those living within its confines, it really is about one woman's coming into her own. I found the book to be a very engaging, easy read.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I greatly enjoyed reading this story of Maisie and her transformation, even though it was at the expense of Clifford! Colorful characters, humor, and a bit of mystery wrapped up in one book. It sounds like Allie Creswell is brewing up a sequel to this story, and I can't wait to read it! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys relaxing English tales.

[penny curley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compulsive reading

It was difficult to put this book down and I found myself completely absorbed in both the characters and the mystery. The descriptions of life with a hoarder and the gradual slide into cluttered chaos was believable and understandable. I also enjoyed the development of the friendships portrayed and was delighted by the promise of more stories to come.

[Mrs Dorothy Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

I found this a fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable book. I knew very little about hoarding and how it affects people’s lives. The book is well written and very entertaining and I would recommend it highly.

[Pauline Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pleasure to read a book which really draws you in to a very different household.

Written with compassion for those of us in this society who are not quite perfect and shows you how to look for the good in everyone and the reasons why we are what we are.

[Debra McMaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

What makes people tick?

I’ve had two hoarders in the family. In both houses—I can’t call them homes—the things mattered more than the people. I find it easy to see that hoarding can become a mode of compensating for inadequacy or lack. Well written, full of insight.