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Fairacre #12
No Holly for Miss Quinn
Nobody in Fairacre knew much about Miss Quinn, which was a rare state of affairs and much regretted by the villagers. A highly efficient secretary to a Caxley businessman, she ran him, and her own affairs, with terrifying competence. She was completely unsentimental and planned to spend her Christmas exactly as she wanted it, without fuss or family.
But before the great day, her brother rang to say his wife had been rushed to the hospital, and could she come and cope with the children? Secretly dismayed, Miss Quinn set out to do her duty.
She coped as capably with the turmoil of her brother's household as she did with the office, and the regret for her lost Christmas was mitigated by the children's joy and the unexpected arrival of an old flame.
Her few days of enforced domesticity gave Miss Quinn much to think about, and the reversal of the quiet Christmas she had planned was to have a significant effect upon the rest of her life.
But before the great day, her brother rang to say his wife had been rushed to the hospital, and could she come and cope with the children? Secretly dismayed, Miss Quinn set out to do her duty.
She coped as capably with the turmoil of her brother's household as she did with the office, and the regret for her lost Christmas was mitigated by the children's joy and the unexpected arrival of an old flame.
Her few days of enforced domesticity gave Miss Quinn much to think about, and the reversal of the quiet Christmas she had planned was to have a significant effect upon the rest of her life.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1976
63 people are currently reading
740 people want to read
About the author
Miss Read
159 books516 followersDora Jessie Saint MBE née Shafe (born 17 April 1913), best known by the pen name Miss Read, was an English novelist, by profession a schoolmistress. Her pseudonym was derived from her mother's maiden name. In 1940 she married her husband, Douglas, a former headmaster. The couple had a daughter, Jill. She began writing for several journals after World War II and worked as a scriptwriter for the BBC.
She wrote a series of novels from 1955 to 1996. Her work centred on two fictional English villages, Fairacre and Thrush Green. The principal character in the Fairacre books, "Miss Read", is an unmarried schoolteacher in a small village school, an acerbic and yet compassionate observer of village life. Miss Read's novels are wry regional social comedies, laced with gentle humour and subtle social commentary. Miss Read is also a keen observer of nature and the changing seasons.
Her most direct influence is from Jane Austen, although her work also bears similarities to the social comedies of manners written in the 1920s and 1930s, and in particular the work of Barbara Pym. Miss Read's work has influenced a number of writers in her own turn, including the American writer Jan Karon. The musician Enya has a track on her Watermark album named after the book Miss Clare Remembers, and one on her Shepherd Moons album named after No Holly for Miss Quinn.
In 1996 she retired. In 1998 she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. She died 7 April, 2012 in Shefford Woodlands.
She wrote a series of novels from 1955 to 1996. Her work centred on two fictional English villages, Fairacre and Thrush Green. The principal character in the Fairacre books, "Miss Read", is an unmarried schoolteacher in a small village school, an acerbic and yet compassionate observer of village life. Miss Read's novels are wry regional social comedies, laced with gentle humour and subtle social commentary. Miss Read is also a keen observer of nature and the changing seasons.
Her most direct influence is from Jane Austen, although her work also bears similarities to the social comedies of manners written in the 1920s and 1930s, and in particular the work of Barbara Pym. Miss Read's work has influenced a number of writers in her own turn, including the American writer Jan Karon. The musician Enya has a track on her Watermark album named after the book Miss Clare Remembers, and one on her Shepherd Moons album named after No Holly for Miss Quinn.
In 1996 she retired. In 1998 she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. She died 7 April, 2012 in Shefford Woodlands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
December 26, 2023
2023 re-read with Sharon: As delightful on the third time as the first and second!
2021 re-read. I love this story so much. Miss Quinn is very much like myself, and I love that Miss Read, a married woman herself, was able to capture Miss Quinn’s joy in her single life.
“For [Miss Quinn], spinsterhood was truly blessed. She walked into her empty sitting room and closed the door behind her, the better to relish that sweet solitude which to her was the breath of life” (147).
I also love that Miss Quinn steps in to help her brother’s family in their time of need and finds her bond with the whole family strengthened. And that it also helps her to appreciate how hard her sister-in-law works even though she doesn’t Work Outside the Home. I have found too that embracing my married friends’ spouses and children means that I add to my joy. There is real growth for Miriam in the story since she was so close to her brother and resented his marriage for a time.
2021 re-read. I love this story so much. Miss Quinn is very much like myself, and I love that Miss Read, a married woman herself, was able to capture Miss Quinn’s joy in her single life.
“For [Miss Quinn], spinsterhood was truly blessed. She walked into her empty sitting room and closed the door behind her, the better to relish that sweet solitude which to her was the breath of life” (147).
I also love that Miss Quinn steps in to help her brother’s family in their time of need and finds her bond with the whole family strengthened. And that it also helps her to appreciate how hard her sister-in-law works even though she doesn’t Work Outside the Home. I have found too that embracing my married friends’ spouses and children means that I add to my joy. There is real growth for Miriam in the story since she was so close to her brother and resented his marriage for a time.
December 24, 2017
A heartwarming Christmas story. A pleasant lesson in duty to family, loving our neighbors, and putting others ahead of ourselves.
One of my favorite things about this story is Miss Quinn's thought that one or two days of being a wife & mother is harder work than being in an office all week! And later: "'And to think,' she told the dog, 'that I'm known as a working woman. I wonder what Eileen is?'" I'll tell you- Eileen is a housewife! There's a term that deserves a better connotation than it has these days.
One of my favorite things about this story is Miss Quinn's thought that one or two days of being a wife & mother is harder work than being in an office all week! And later: "'And to think,' she told the dog, 'that I'm known as a working woman. I wonder what Eileen is?'" I'll tell you- Eileen is a housewife! There's a term that deserves a better connotation than it has these days.
July 9, 2019
A delightful Christmas story in the Fairacre series! Miriam Quinn is an acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Mawne, and when a local widow decides to let the “granny annex” of her home, the Mawnes suggest that it might suit Miriam. It does, to a T. Miss Quinn is an executive secretary who likes a quiet, private life, and she resists all overtures to join this society or that club in Fairacre.
Then her brother, Lovell, calls a few days before Christmas; he is a vicar in Norfolk, married, with 3 children. His wife is ill - a gallbladder attack or something similar - and is in hospital for several days. Miriam and Lovell were very close as children, but Miriam isn’t terribly fond of his wife, who seems frivolous and slapdash.
But Miriam knows her duty, and she puts aside the paint and brushes with which she was painting the sitting room, and drives to Norfolk. She dives right into the chaos of cleaning the vicarage, cooking 3 meals a day, and all the while keeping the children happy. It certainly is not how she planned to spend her Christmas holiday!
But the magic of Christmas works its miracle on her heart, and when she finally is free to return home, she feels more than amply blessed for her little sacrifice.
Then her brother, Lovell, calls a few days before Christmas; he is a vicar in Norfolk, married, with 3 children. His wife is ill - a gallbladder attack or something similar - and is in hospital for several days. Miriam and Lovell were very close as children, but Miriam isn’t terribly fond of his wife, who seems frivolous and slapdash.
But Miriam knows her duty, and she puts aside the paint and brushes with which she was painting the sitting room, and drives to Norfolk. She dives right into the chaos of cleaning the vicarage, cooking 3 meals a day, and all the while keeping the children happy. It certainly is not how she planned to spend her Christmas holiday!
But the magic of Christmas works its miracle on her heart, and when she finally is free to return home, she feels more than amply blessed for her little sacrifice.
December 10, 2025
This book sets the tone for Christmas with me. It’s so done to earth. Nothing is perfect or even completely ready in time for Christmas but Christmas still happens and it’s real and warm. Anyway, this is my annual reread of it and it still ranks high on my Christmas favorites.
December 30, 2024
A Perfect Read for the Season!
There is nothing like a Miss Read book to help define a season. In this one, Miss Quinn helps her big brother who is now a Pastor with a congregation in his charge. She has charge of his three small children, household while his wife is in the hospital. Miss Quinn thinks of herself as a spinster, although the story direction hints to a different future..... Miss Quinn takes charge of the family while her brother takes care of his congregation. Everybody learns lessons and an old love turns up and is hopeful, but Miss Quinn, at book's end is satisfied just being able to go to her own home where there are no big decorations, Christmas or otherwise, to say anything different.
There is nothing like a Miss Read book to help define a season. In this one, Miss Quinn helps her big brother who is now a Pastor with a congregation in his charge. She has charge of his three small children, household while his wife is in the hospital. Miss Quinn thinks of herself as a spinster, although the story direction hints to a different future..... Miss Quinn takes charge of the family while her brother takes care of his congregation. Everybody learns lessons and an old love turns up and is hopeful, but Miss Quinn, at book's end is satisfied just being able to go to her own home where there are no big decorations, Christmas or otherwise, to say anything different.
December 13, 2020
3.75 stars
Published in 1976, this book features a female protagonist (Miriam Quinn) who values her own independence. She's a working woman, unmarried, who is quite content with her station in life.
Miss Read books tend to be shrewder and more accepting of the broad church of human nature than one might guess on first acquaintance. Although Miss Read has the utmost respect for family life and feeling, she doesn't necessarily conclude that this is the only choice - or even the right choice - for all of the female characters in her books.
At several points in this book - first, with her landlord, the widowed Joan Benson - the reader might feel that she (or he) is being led to conclude that Miss Quinn is slightly selfish for not wanting to spend every free moment with her landlord, or with helping out with various committees and groups in the village. Later, when the illness of her sister-in-law means that she is drafted to help out her brother's family during the week of Christmas, we aren't quite sure if Miss Quinn will flounder in this position of responsibility - or perhaps grow to resent the intrusion on her solitude.
Yes, Miss Quinn softens; yes, there is genuine warmth associated with family, love and the Christmas season. But let it be noted that this book doesn't have even a touch of cloying sentimentality, and the storyline may not necessarily conform to the reader's expectations. The ending of the story - while it may seem unexpected, at least according to the conventions of the romantic novel - is entirely true to the character of its heroine.
Her tact, her charm, and her intelligence, backed by her formidable resolve to keep her life exactly as she wanted it, enabled her to stay clear of any of these entanglements.
"No flies on Miss Quin! She knows her own value, that one, but she ain't for sale!"
Published in 1976, this book features a female protagonist (Miriam Quinn) who values her own independence. She's a working woman, unmarried, who is quite content with her station in life.
Miss Read books tend to be shrewder and more accepting of the broad church of human nature than one might guess on first acquaintance. Although Miss Read has the utmost respect for family life and feeling, she doesn't necessarily conclude that this is the only choice - or even the right choice - for all of the female characters in her books.
At several points in this book - first, with her landlord, the widowed Joan Benson - the reader might feel that she (or he) is being led to conclude that Miss Quinn is slightly selfish for not wanting to spend every free moment with her landlord, or with helping out with various committees and groups in the village. Later, when the illness of her sister-in-law means that she is drafted to help out her brother's family during the week of Christmas, we aren't quite sure if Miss Quinn will flounder in this position of responsibility - or perhaps grow to resent the intrusion on her solitude.
Yes, Miss Quinn softens; yes, there is genuine warmth associated with family, love and the Christmas season. But let it be noted that this book doesn't have even a touch of cloying sentimentality, and the storyline may not necessarily conform to the reader's expectations. The ending of the story - while it may seem unexpected, at least according to the conventions of the romantic novel - is entirely true to the character of its heroine.
December 14, 2024
A heartwarming Christmas story about a spinster who goes to look after her brother's children over the holiday. Full of that cozy English village flavor only as only Miss Read can do it. This book really sets one in the Christmas spirit.:)
December 26, 2015
A beautiful seasonal read.
An unwanted change of plan leads to a very different Christmas for Miss Quinn.
Love the Miss Read stories of a bygone age.
Magical just like Christmas!
An unwanted change of plan leads to a very different Christmas for Miss Quinn.
Love the Miss Read stories of a bygone age.
Magical just like Christmas!
February 9, 2019
It was ok. A good story, but a blah ending.
January 25, 2024
3.5 stars
I read this Christmas-y book a bit late in the season, but it was a surprisingly enjoyable story. A novella, quiet and slow, it was published half a century ago. There is nothing of our hectic world in there. Instead it was peaceful and joyful without being sugary. A woman who celebrates her solitude and self-sufficiency instead of yearning for a guy to 'complete' her was a refreshing heroine, a female after my own heart.
I never read this author before, although I know she was popular when she was active. I'll try a couple more of her books now. Happily, my library has a decent selection.
I read this Christmas-y book a bit late in the season, but it was a surprisingly enjoyable story. A novella, quiet and slow, it was published half a century ago. There is nothing of our hectic world in there. Instead it was peaceful and joyful without being sugary. A woman who celebrates her solitude and self-sufficiency instead of yearning for a guy to 'complete' her was a refreshing heroine, a female after my own heart.
I never read this author before, although I know she was popular when she was active. I'll try a couple more of her books now. Happily, my library has a decent selection.
January 1, 2022
I must admit I wanted a different ending but it was realistic and the story is so beautifully told. I loved it and fell deep in the story. For me, a Brit who has not been home for years, descriptions of the English countryside that I miss are both achingly sad and also heart lifting memories of life as described. I remember that England and time. I walked where Miss Quinn walked and relived it for a golden moment whilst reading this book.
Altogether a wonderful book to finish the year off and one to find warmth in to turn and face whatever the year ahead will bring.
Altogether a wonderful book to finish the year off and one to find warmth in to turn and face whatever the year ahead will bring.
December 17, 2018
It's been a long time since I've read any Miss Read. As enjoyable as ever. A good Christmas read.
December 29, 2025
Not my favorite book of the series, it started off very sad and didn’t include a lot of old familiar friends. Miss Quinn is a little too spinsterish and set in her ways but she was very sweet with her nephew and nieces. I owe my beloved auntie a huge thank you for finding some first editions of the Fairacre series in mint condition! This one in particular has been out of print for years but thanks to my aunt and a wonderful bookstore I was able to read it.
December 2, 2025
A lovely comforting story, set in the early 1970s ( I assume, as that was the first publishing date). It tells of a single woman moving to Fairacre and a disruption of Christmas plans when a family emergency occurs.
Miss Read’s descriptions of the countryside and the changing seasons are all explained with nostalgic detail.
Miss Read’s descriptions of the countryside and the changing seasons are all explained with nostalgic detail.
December 21, 2023
Lovely
September 22, 2014
Miss Miriam Quinn moves into a quiet English village, expecting to enjoy the countryside and have a little privacy. Instead, she has hardly settled in when she gets a phone call from her brother. His wife is in the hospital and Christmas is days away. Could she please come and take care of the children while their mother is in the hospital?
Miriam quickly learns that taking care of three active young children is harder than it looks. Her quiet Christmas spent redecorating her cottage is not going to happen. Instead she is stuffing a turkey, cleaning up the toddler's accidents, and visiting the hospital. Maybe this mothering thing is tough after all.
This is an old-fashioned book with an old-fashioned setting, but I really liked it. What struck me as the most old-fashioned thing about it wasn't the plot. The question of working woman versus homemaker is still a hot one. No, the most dated thing was the fact that Eileen was in the hospital for an entire week with abdominal pains! It turned out to be gall bladder trouble, but all they kept her for was to run tests and let her rest. I was in the hospital when they removed my appendix and I only spent 2 nights there!
Sweet book with sweet characters.
Miriam quickly learns that taking care of three active young children is harder than it looks. Her quiet Christmas spent redecorating her cottage is not going to happen. Instead she is stuffing a turkey, cleaning up the toddler's accidents, and visiting the hospital. Maybe this mothering thing is tough after all.
This is an old-fashioned book with an old-fashioned setting, but I really liked it. What struck me as the most old-fashioned thing about it wasn't the plot. The question of working woman versus homemaker is still a hot one. No, the most dated thing was the fact that Eileen was in the hospital for an entire week with abdominal pains! It turned out to be gall bladder trouble, but all they kept her for was to run tests and let her rest. I was in the hospital when they removed my appendix and I only spent 2 nights there!
Sweet book with sweet characters.
December 17, 2015
Another quietly brilliant character study from Miss Read. Miss Quin is a young, independent, professional woman, who at the beginning of the novel seems perhaps a little more admirable than likeable. Moving to Fairacre offers her some tempting glimpses of village community, family life, and romance—all of which she recognizes, and then politely declines, preferring her own company. I found myself, in the words of Leonard Cohen, loving her solitude and her pride.
I am worried that there may be no more Miss Read Christmas novels for me to read. It has become a seasonal joy for me.
I am worried that there may be no more Miss Read Christmas novels for me to read. It has become a seasonal joy for me.
December 26, 2024
This was a super sweet book set in the Village of Fairacre around Christmastime! Miss Quinn is a lady who enjoys her solitude and she is looking forward to it when her brother asks if she can come and help take care of his children over Christmas.
This was a delightful read for the Christmas season and was a good reminder to us type A planners to let go of our plans and serve others.
This was a delightful read for the Christmas season and was a good reminder to us type A planners to let go of our plans and serve others.
November 17, 2022
I liked this one!
Miss Quinn is very excited about having a Christmas all to herself. No people, no fuss; just a quiet and peaceful time in solitude to relax and enjoy her new home.
Then her brother calls. His wife is in the hospital. Might she come and help with the children?
Miss Quinn sets off to assist and is surprised by her experience, learning a few lessons along the way.
It’s pretty simplistic and not very deep in character development or description, but it’s a nice story and one where you see the main character change her perspective by a couple degrees, and those being creditable ones.
Cleanliness: mentions alcohol. Mentions a man and woman had flirted for a time in their past.
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Miss Quinn is very excited about having a Christmas all to herself. No people, no fuss; just a quiet and peaceful time in solitude to relax and enjoy her new home.
Then her brother calls. His wife is in the hospital. Might she come and help with the children?
Miss Quinn sets off to assist and is surprised by her experience, learning a few lessons along the way.
It’s pretty simplistic and not very deep in character development or description, but it’s a nice story and one where you see the main character change her perspective by a couple degrees, and those being creditable ones.
Cleanliness: mentions alcohol. Mentions a man and woman had flirted for a time in their past.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
July 5, 2019
This was a really quick read. Charming and beautifully written, Miss Quinn learns a lesson about sacrifice, family ties and the importance of being present to those you treasure. A sweet book.
December 26, 2025
Too sugary sweet for me.
December 23, 2024
Typical Miss Read - no matter how attached you are to your quiet orderly life, it’s good for you to be (forcibly) immersed in a chaotic family scene at Christmas
September 13, 2019
I'm a long-time fan of Mrs. Dora Saint ("Miss Read") the English school teacher who wrote over 30 novels published between 1955 and her retirement in 2008. All of her novels are set in two mythical villages - Fairacre and Thrush Green. This is technically the ninth novel in the Fairacre books, but it's as close to a stand-alone novel as any of them.
That's why it could be perfect if you're not familiar with the series. The other books spend a good amount of time discussing things that happened in the past to the various characters. Fine for those of us who have reached the age where the bulk of our conversations consist of "What ever happened to so-and-so?" "Have you heard from what's-his-name lately?" and "Wasn't she the one who [fill in the blank]?" But I wonder if younger folks might find it boring.
This book introduces four new characters to Fairacre and then follows one of them as she takes a sabbatical to deal with a family crisis in another part of England. A few old Fairacre stalwarts make brief appearances, but the main focus is on Miss Miriam Quinn.
Miss Quinn is an example of a characteristic of this author that I think sets her work apart. She was a wife and mother herself, but she seems to have had an affinity with single, childless women. And her depictions of the pros and cons of married life versus single life are balanced and sensible and frequently hilarious.
Miss Quinn is a young woman who knows what she wants. The hard-working secretary to an important businessman, she values her quiet home outside of Fairacre because it affords her the privacy and solitude she craves. She settles down happily to live the life of a contented spinster.
But family matters intervene. Her brother is a churchman and his wife and the mother of his three small children is in hospital. Will "sis" come and save the day? With much trepidation, Miss Quinn leaves her peaceful, convenient home to take over her brother's large, drafty, out-dated parsonage.
Her pretty sister-in-law is the apple of her fond husband's eye, but she's slap-dash and inefficient. The ultra-efficient Miss Quinn intends to set things to rights, but discovers that being a housewife and child-minder is harder than it looks.
It's a gently humorous situation and totally typical of the Miss Read books. If you like this one, you'll like all of them. They may be a nostalgic look at a time-gone-by, but they also contain a wealth of sardonic humor. Styles of dress and housing and speech change, but human nature remains the same. And there's never been a shrewder observer than Mrs. Dora Saint.
That's why it could be perfect if you're not familiar with the series. The other books spend a good amount of time discussing things that happened in the past to the various characters. Fine for those of us who have reached the age where the bulk of our conversations consist of "What ever happened to so-and-so?" "Have you heard from what's-his-name lately?" and "Wasn't she the one who [fill in the blank]?" But I wonder if younger folks might find it boring.
This book introduces four new characters to Fairacre and then follows one of them as she takes a sabbatical to deal with a family crisis in another part of England. A few old Fairacre stalwarts make brief appearances, but the main focus is on Miss Miriam Quinn.
Miss Quinn is an example of a characteristic of this author that I think sets her work apart. She was a wife and mother herself, but she seems to have had an affinity with single, childless women. And her depictions of the pros and cons of married life versus single life are balanced and sensible and frequently hilarious.
Miss Quinn is a young woman who knows what she wants. The hard-working secretary to an important businessman, she values her quiet home outside of Fairacre because it affords her the privacy and solitude she craves. She settles down happily to live the life of a contented spinster.
But family matters intervene. Her brother is a churchman and his wife and the mother of his three small children is in hospital. Will "sis" come and save the day? With much trepidation, Miss Quinn leaves her peaceful, convenient home to take over her brother's large, drafty, out-dated parsonage.
Her pretty sister-in-law is the apple of her fond husband's eye, but she's slap-dash and inefficient. The ultra-efficient Miss Quinn intends to set things to rights, but discovers that being a housewife and child-minder is harder than it looks.
It's a gently humorous situation and totally typical of the Miss Read books. If you like this one, you'll like all of them. They may be a nostalgic look at a time-gone-by, but they also contain a wealth of sardonic humor. Styles of dress and housing and speech change, but human nature remains the same. And there's never been a shrewder observer than Mrs. Dora Saint.
December 24, 2016
This is a short book that I chose for its Christmas theme. It has been several years since I read a book by Miss Read. Yes, it can be described as cozy, with its descriptions of life in a quiet English village that is long on charm. This story features Miriam Quinn, a maiden lady in her mid-30's, who is very satisfied with her quiet life. She has found a charming apartment and enjoys some aspects of village life, but she has successfully fended off intimacy and overtures of friendship.
When she gets an emergency call from her brother to come take care of his children while his wife is in the hospital at Christmas time, Miss Quinn at first is reluctant to abandon her own plans for the holiday, and then judgmental of the state of her brother's household. But she soon discovers that running a household with three small children is more work than she had expected.
There are signs of character growth and a possible romantic attachment for Miss Quinn by the end of the book. Although this is by no means a major entry in the Christmas book canon, it has charm and wisdom.
When she gets an emergency call from her brother to come take care of his children while his wife is in the hospital at Christmas time, Miss Quinn at first is reluctant to abandon her own plans for the holiday, and then judgmental of the state of her brother's household. But she soon discovers that running a household with three small children is more work than she had expected.
There are signs of character growth and a possible romantic attachment for Miss Quinn by the end of the book. Although this is by no means a major entry in the Christmas book canon, it has charm and wisdom.
December 19, 2024
Miss Quinn is an anomaly in Miss Read's books as she is not an educator. However, she is a spinster who wants to stay that way. She works in Caxley but has recently moved to Fairacre to be out of the bustle of the town and in the wide open spaces. She is living in the annex to Joan Benson's Holly Lodge. She has a small place with a garage, too. It is Christmas, and Miriam Quinn, being a vicar's daughter, is looking forward to redecorating her annex and having a peaceful holiday. No fuss, no bother. You know what they say about best-laid plans, though. Just as she got down to painting, her vicar brother sent out an SOS. His wife must go to hospital, and someone needs to help him with his three children over Christmas. So she packed, bought some provisions, and drove. She was greeted enthusiastically and this is the story of how she survived and what she learned. Most of all, it is the story of what she learned. It is a wonderful Christmas story!
December 22, 2016
Miss Quinn is a single woman in her thirties. She is content with her life. She has a good job in business, is organized and efficient and likes it that way. A few days before Christmas she receives an urgent call from her brother. Her sister-in-law is in the hospital. Could she come help care for the children and house? To her credit, Miss Quinn does not even hesitate. She drops her vacation plans and immediately sets out to be of service. Life with children is chaotic and messy. Miss Quinn brings about order but without offending the children or her brother. She gains a new appreciation and understanding of her sister-in-law. Relationships are strengthened and deepened. There is even the tiniest hint of romance.
December 19, 2025
I think this is my third re- read of this short book and it is becoming an Advent tradition. I adore Miss Read and I absolutely adore this beautifully heart warming Christmas story. It has all the simplicity for the season that I crave.
I listened to this on Audible and it was perfect.
2022 and I have read it again! Wonderful, it is part of my Christmas now.
10/12/23 Another Christmas read. This time I realised that my Audible copy was an abridged version of the book, so it was lovely this year to hear the whole thing with a new narrator. Honestly, this is such a simple heart warming tale that starts off the Christmas season for me.
15/12/25: A lovely Christmas tradition. A beautiful story.
I listened to this on Audible and it was perfect.
2022 and I have read it again! Wonderful, it is part of my Christmas now.
10/12/23 Another Christmas read. This time I realised that my Audible copy was an abridged version of the book, so it was lovely this year to hear the whole thing with a new narrator. Honestly, this is such a simple heart warming tale that starts off the Christmas season for me.
15/12/25: A lovely Christmas tradition. A beautiful story.
April 6, 2016
Miss Read was the pseudonym of Dora Jessie Saint (1913-2012), a British novelist of cozy fiction. She wrote two sets of novels: the Thrush Green and Fairacre series. The main character in the Fairacre books is an unmarried school teacher. This book is listed as #12 in the series and is about a different spinster. Miss Quinn is in her mid-thirties and works in a busy office in Caxley. She longs for a home in a quiet village and jumps at the chance to rent a room at Holly Lodge in Fairacre.
She is looking forward to a quiet Christmas alone when her brother suddenly calls about a family emergency. How she responds makes up the rest of this charming little book.
She is looking forward to a quiet Christmas alone when her brother suddenly calls about a family emergency. How she responds makes up the rest of this charming little book.
March 31, 2010
One wonders just what was happening in Miss Read's own life as she wrote this, and the immediately preceding Farther Afield. Here's another story of a confirmed spinster (and also a complete loner) having to confront the realities of other sorts of lives. Miss Quinn is obliged to take over the running of her brother's household while his wife is in hospital, and she ruminates at length on the differences between her life and her sister-in-law's.
July 4, 2023
So thankful to the person who mentioned Miss Read once, so I knew to grab this book from the free bin at my local used bookstore. Such a pleasure to read about the industrious and solitary Miss Quinn, who enjoys her own company enough that she has to budget out the time she spends socially. Also a pleasure to watch her drop everything to care for her brother's family -- and the juxtaposition of her orderly home with the loud and chaotic home with small children. So much with which to relate! Going to collect these now.
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