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Quality Street #2
The Mothers of Quality Street
The ups and down of three plucky factory girls, set in Britain’s best loved wrapped chocolate factory.
The Quality Street Factory is fizzing with the news that the King and Queen and the two young princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret Rose, are going to visit the Mackintosh Factory where the country’s favourite wrapped chocolate is made. The factory floor is heady with excitement but plans are dealt a blow when a much loved staff member is the victim of a poisoning incident.
Everyone is under suspicion, which only adds to Reenie Calder’s woes, anxious that her new promotion has only made her stick out even more like a sore thumb. Can she and her friends, Mary and Diana, get their heads together and find the malicious troublemaker before something unthinkable happens?
The Quality Street Factory is fizzing with the news that the King and Queen and the two young princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret Rose, are going to visit the Mackintosh Factory where the country’s favourite wrapped chocolate is made. The factory floor is heady with excitement but plans are dealt a blow when a much loved staff member is the victim of a poisoning incident.
Everyone is under suspicion, which only adds to Reenie Calder’s woes, anxious that her new promotion has only made her stick out even more like a sore thumb. Can she and her friends, Mary and Diana, get their heads together and find the malicious troublemaker before something unthinkable happens?
- GenresChick Lit
432 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2020
40 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 24, 2020
When i picked up my Hardback of The Mothers of Quality Street i was so pleased to see that it carried on from the first book.To join Reenie,Diane,Mary,Bess and Peter as they work to make the sweets people love,to say that it doesn't all go to plan is an understatement.I have really loved reading this book thank you to Penny Thorpe for the story that will have you along side the girls in everything they do at Mackintosh's.I look forward to the next book.5*
March 18, 2020
When i picked up my Hardback of The Mothers of Quality Street i was so pleased to see that it carried on from the first book.To join Reenie,Diane,Mary,Bess and Peter as they work to make the sweets people love,to say that it doesn't all go to plan is an understatement.I have really loved reading this book thank you to Penny Thorpe for the story that will have you along side the girls in everything they do at Mackintosh's.I look forward to the next book.5*
July 5, 2020
The King is coming to visit the Quality Street factory. Everyone is excited about planning the event. They bring married women back to work, who lost their jobs when they got married, because they need more workers on the floor. A sudden scandal threatens to cancel their event when poisoned candy is found. They have to figure out how to make the workers happy, while also preparing to receive the King.
I loved the style of writing in this book. The first line was great: “The toffees for the window display had been carefully painted with strong poison.” I had never heard of candy being painted with poison, so this line hooked me right from the start. The poison was meant to deter rats from eating the candy, but the candies ended up in the wrong hands. Another great line was “She looked like a tart’s handbag turned inside out,” which described a new worker at the factory. These lines made the story so entertaining.
There was some great dramatic irony in this book. Dramatic irony is when the reader knows something that the characters don’t know yet. Right at the beginning the owner of the candy store paints the candies with poison, but then he doesn’t properly dispose of them, so a customer ends up buying them by accident. Throughout the first half of the book, we wait to see who will end up eating the poisoned chocolates, while the characters don’t even know they exist.
There were some other subplots as well, including ones about women returning to the work force after having children and the planning for the King’s visit. I found it so absurd to think that the women couldn’t return to their jobs just because they had gotten married or had children. It happened back then, in 1937, but it seems crazy to imagine today.
This is a great story! Make sure you have chocolates nearby while you read it!
I loved the style of writing in this book. The first line was great: “The toffees for the window display had been carefully painted with strong poison.” I had never heard of candy being painted with poison, so this line hooked me right from the start. The poison was meant to deter rats from eating the candy, but the candies ended up in the wrong hands. Another great line was “She looked like a tart’s handbag turned inside out,” which described a new worker at the factory. These lines made the story so entertaining.
There was some great dramatic irony in this book. Dramatic irony is when the reader knows something that the characters don’t know yet. Right at the beginning the owner of the candy store paints the candies with poison, but then he doesn’t properly dispose of them, so a customer ends up buying them by accident. Throughout the first half of the book, we wait to see who will end up eating the poisoned chocolates, while the characters don’t even know they exist.
There were some other subplots as well, including ones about women returning to the work force after having children and the planning for the King’s visit. I found it so absurd to think that the women couldn’t return to their jobs just because they had gotten married or had children. It happened back then, in 1937, but it seems crazy to imagine today.
This is a great story! Make sure you have chocolates nearby while you read it!
July 11, 2024
It's been so long since I read the first one, I wasn't sure I would remember the characters, but I did. Back with them all for the King's visit to the factory. They even brought back married women as they needed more workers. The event is then threatened when poisoned sweets are found. The factory needs to keep the workers assured and happy and also please the King.
This was another lovely story, with strong friendships, love and of course the drama that came along with factory working in that time.
This was another lovely story, with strong friendships, love and of course the drama that came along with factory working in that time.
August 4, 2022
Really enjoyed this book . Didn't realise it was book 2 of 4 so need book 1 now .
The names, characters, events keep you hooked to the end . A story set in 1937 in a chocolate factory. I love history & chocolate !
The names, characters, events keep you hooked to the end . A story set in 1937 in a chocolate factory. I love history & chocolate !
January 31, 2021
A brilliant sequal to the first Quality Street Girls
December 15, 2021
Lovely historical fiction book set at the home of the quality street factory just before WW2 revisiting some of the characters from book one in the series..
July 10, 2023
I absolutely loved this book. It was exciting with an element of Agatha Christie in it which you will understand when you read it.
April 1, 2021
I read the first Quality Street book (The Quality Street Girls) at Christmas and loved it. I was therefore pleased to see there was a second book in the series due for release in March 2021. As soon as it arrived I couldn’t wait to read it but I have to admit that I was sorely disappointed with this book.
As with any historical work of fiction, accurate key facts, figures and/or events are paramount. But it feels that whilst the author has done her research for this period novel, the historical references are clumsy and disjointed. It’s almost like someone (and not the author) has cut a chunk from the internet and pasted it into the story.
In addition, every story has one or two ‘big’ dramas unfold but rather than let these naturally unfold in the story, the big drama is not so subtlety hinted at on numerous occasions at the end of several chapters. When the big drama does eventually arrive, it is somewhat disappointing.
The Telegraph writes that this book ‘will give you a craving for toffee pennies’. Unfortunately all it gave me a craving for was to reach the end of the book!
Sorry, I can’t find anything positive to say about this one. I only rated it 2 stars because I like historical fiction and I like Quality Street... 😁
As with any historical work of fiction, accurate key facts, figures and/or events are paramount. But it feels that whilst the author has done her research for this period novel, the historical references are clumsy and disjointed. It’s almost like someone (and not the author) has cut a chunk from the internet and pasted it into the story.
In addition, every story has one or two ‘big’ dramas unfold but rather than let these naturally unfold in the story, the big drama is not so subtlety hinted at on numerous occasions at the end of several chapters. When the big drama does eventually arrive, it is somewhat disappointing.
The Telegraph writes that this book ‘will give you a craving for toffee pennies’. Unfortunately all it gave me a craving for was to reach the end of the book!
Sorry, I can’t find anything positive to say about this one. I only rated it 2 stars because I like historical fiction and I like Quality Street... 😁
April 14, 2025
Having rather enjoyed the first in Penny Thorpe’s “Quality Street” series, I was keen to jump into the second and see where the girls ended up next. I may have read the first in the series due to a tenuous personal connection with the author, but it was the quality of both the writing and the storytelling that made me want to keep reading. There were moments that seemed a little far-fetched, but the setting and the characters were perfectly set in their time and they were so likeable that I found myself caring about what was happening in their lives when the novel ended.
The answer to that question is found in “The Mothers of Quality Street”, which takes place a short while after the events of the first book, with the factory repaired and ramping up production. The nasty Mrs Roth has been shipped off elsewhere, but with unrest preventing the factories in Ireland from maintaining production for the English and the political situation in Germany spilling over and giving rise to an increased fascist movement in England, times are difficult at the factory. When a senior member of staff is poisoned by one of their own sweets, a major recall at the same time as they are preparing for a visit from the new King increases the pressure on everyone.
To get around these issues, the hiring rules have changed, removing the ban on married women in the workforce and a later development means that mothers are able to have their old jobs back. There are some, particularly Mrs Starbeck, who has come back from the factory in Dusseldorf with fascist politics in her heart, who think they shouldn’t be allowed to work in the same way as the younger staff, or earn the same benefits. Both she and the new arrival, Dolly Dunkley, who believes she should be running the factory when she’s too lazy to run a bath, want to make life difficult for Diana, Mary and Reenie, who have all proved themselves more than worthy of their greater responsibilities, even if they sometimes get ahead of themselves.
There was more to the story this time around, as the issue with the poisoned sweets and the political unrest in countries either side of England made for a darker emotional toll in places than the previous book. Although there is a gentle romance going on and the excitement of the King’s visit, the married women are concerned that their jobs may be at risk and the nasty Mrs Starbeck does her best to make certain this is the case and Dolly Dunkley is a particularly nasty character. Despite the moments of joy and camaraderie between the married women and young Grace settling into her new home, there is far more stress and concern across the whole factory and this novel is a slightly more difficult read in some ways.
There are aspects where the stories don’t feel entirely joined up, although I suspect this is entirely intentional, as Mrs Starbeck and others do their best to keep the married women separate from the younger women, for fear of the corrupting influence they may be. As with the first novel, there were elements that didn’t quite sit as well and the poisoned sweets sub-plot loomed a little too large for a situation that was designed to remove a main character to allow their space to be temporarily filled, but which lingered with that objective achieved. I’m not certain whether Dolly Dunkley’s resilience and ability to fail upwards was entirely realistic and whilst the events around Mrs Starbeck’s late father and her being caught out were amusing, they added page count without really developing the plot.
I’m not certain I enjoyed this novel as much as the first, but I think that is more the darker turn it took in places and as little as I didn’t enjoy those moments, they must have been worse to live through. What hasn’t changed is that Penny Thorpe has a wonderful turn of phrase and her past job as the company historian shines through. She writes like someone who genuinely cares about her characters and about the accuracy, both in the factory and the political landscape and although she may require some creative license, you rarely feel that this gets in the way and although it may not have quite the same warming feelings as the first novel, it’s well worth reading.
The answer to that question is found in “The Mothers of Quality Street”, which takes place a short while after the events of the first book, with the factory repaired and ramping up production. The nasty Mrs Roth has been shipped off elsewhere, but with unrest preventing the factories in Ireland from maintaining production for the English and the political situation in Germany spilling over and giving rise to an increased fascist movement in England, times are difficult at the factory. When a senior member of staff is poisoned by one of their own sweets, a major recall at the same time as they are preparing for a visit from the new King increases the pressure on everyone.
To get around these issues, the hiring rules have changed, removing the ban on married women in the workforce and a later development means that mothers are able to have their old jobs back. There are some, particularly Mrs Starbeck, who has come back from the factory in Dusseldorf with fascist politics in her heart, who think they shouldn’t be allowed to work in the same way as the younger staff, or earn the same benefits. Both she and the new arrival, Dolly Dunkley, who believes she should be running the factory when she’s too lazy to run a bath, want to make life difficult for Diana, Mary and Reenie, who have all proved themselves more than worthy of their greater responsibilities, even if they sometimes get ahead of themselves.
There was more to the story this time around, as the issue with the poisoned sweets and the political unrest in countries either side of England made for a darker emotional toll in places than the previous book. Although there is a gentle romance going on and the excitement of the King’s visit, the married women are concerned that their jobs may be at risk and the nasty Mrs Starbeck does her best to make certain this is the case and Dolly Dunkley is a particularly nasty character. Despite the moments of joy and camaraderie between the married women and young Grace settling into her new home, there is far more stress and concern across the whole factory and this novel is a slightly more difficult read in some ways.
There are aspects where the stories don’t feel entirely joined up, although I suspect this is entirely intentional, as Mrs Starbeck and others do their best to keep the married women separate from the younger women, for fear of the corrupting influence they may be. As with the first novel, there were elements that didn’t quite sit as well and the poisoned sweets sub-plot loomed a little too large for a situation that was designed to remove a main character to allow their space to be temporarily filled, but which lingered with that objective achieved. I’m not certain whether Dolly Dunkley’s resilience and ability to fail upwards was entirely realistic and whilst the events around Mrs Starbeck’s late father and her being caught out were amusing, they added page count without really developing the plot.
I’m not certain I enjoyed this novel as much as the first, but I think that is more the darker turn it took in places and as little as I didn’t enjoy those moments, they must have been worse to live through. What hasn’t changed is that Penny Thorpe has a wonderful turn of phrase and her past job as the company historian shines through. She writes like someone who genuinely cares about her characters and about the accuracy, both in the factory and the political landscape and although she may require some creative license, you rarely feel that this gets in the way and although it may not have quite the same warming feelings as the first novel, it’s well worth reading.
September 1, 2021
The Quality Street Factory is fizzing with the news that the King and Queen and the two young princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret Rose, are going to visit the Mackintosh Factory where the country’s favourite wrapped chocolate is made. The factory floor is heady with excitement but plans are dealt a blow when a much loved staff member is the victim of a poisoning incident.Everyone is under suspicion, which only adds to Reenie Calder’s woes, anxious that her new promotion has only made her stick out even more like a sore thumb. Can she and her friends, Mary and Diana, get their heads together and find the malicious troublemaker before something unthinkable happens?The famous selection of toffees and chocolates was the creation of Mackintosh, a Halifax based company which became a global sensation for their famous toffee recipe. Founded in 1890, the company grew from strength to strength over the 20th century and put Halifax on the map as the undisputed ‘Toffee Town’.There were Chocolate Creme Toffee Brazils, Cafe Au Lait Carameline, Jaffa Chocolate Toffee, Harrogate Toffee(ginger and lemon) etc.Employees of Mackintosh throughout its history have remarked that it was a great company to work for.As one of the largest employers in Halifax, as well as having sites in Norwich, Ireland, Germany and the USA, Mackintosh made efforts to make their workers feel happy at work and valued as staff members.The 1858 Bradford Sweets poisoning was the arsenic poisoning of more than 200 people in Bradford,England,when sweets accidentally made with arsenic were sold from a market stall.21 victims died as a result.The event contributed to the passage of the Pharmacy Act 1868 in the UK and legislation regulating the adulteration of foodstuffs.Spanish War children were shipped to Britain, Belgium, the Soviet Union,other European countries and Mexico.These children were referred to as "Basque refugees", but included also non-Basques.The children were under the overall care of the Basque Children's Committee (BCC), part of the National Joint Committee for Spanish Relief,a cross-party organization that co-ordinated aid to Spain.
March 28, 2022
In 1937 the Mackintosh factory is expecting a visit from King George and after a recent fire it's all hands to the pump to get things ready in time and develop a new sweet for the occasion.
The marriage bar is lifted, younger workers taken on and even mothers with young children.
But the women are being treated unfairly financially and strikes are rumoured, add to that a poisoned box of chocolates has escaped being destroyed and is causing lethal damage in the neighbourhood.
Then there is the sneaky Dolly Dunkley working with the underhand Cynthia Starbeck.
The regular Mackintosh girls, Reenie, Mary, Diana and dizzy Bess have their hands full as there is a never a dull moment when working for the famous Quality street factory.
A brilliant sequel, lovely to see both old and new faces in an all new Quality street adventure.
The marriage bar is lifted, younger workers taken on and even mothers with young children.
But the women are being treated unfairly financially and strikes are rumoured, add to that a poisoned box of chocolates has escaped being destroyed and is causing lethal damage in the neighbourhood.
Then there is the sneaky Dolly Dunkley working with the underhand Cynthia Starbeck.
The regular Mackintosh girls, Reenie, Mary, Diana and dizzy Bess have their hands full as there is a never a dull moment when working for the famous Quality street factory.
A brilliant sequel, lovely to see both old and new faces in an all new Quality street adventure.
March 11, 2023
Historical fiction. Women's fiction. UK.
Story: In the second book of the trilogy, a poisoned box of discarded Mackintosh toffees ends up inadvertently poisoning two people and it's a mystery as to who, when, where and how. The King is paying a visit to the Mackintosh factory and everyone is in a frenzy to prepare.
Language: Post WWI, pre WWII, England, women's fiction, mystery, cozy.
Characters: All the favorites from book one, plus new faces, such as Reenie's new landlady, and women who used to work for the factory and are now mothers (and therefore not allowed to be employed), and are exceptionally called back as temporary workers to rebuild from the damage from book one and prepare for the king's visit.
Normally, I'll read the first book of a series and never pick up the next one or wait years to continue it. In this case, I reserved book two as soon as I finished book one. This series is so great and cozy. I do recommend reading book one before two, just to understand some character backgrounds. Looking forward to book three. Wish this could be a tv series!
Story: In the second book of the trilogy, a poisoned box of discarded Mackintosh toffees ends up inadvertently poisoning two people and it's a mystery as to who, when, where and how. The King is paying a visit to the Mackintosh factory and everyone is in a frenzy to prepare.
Language: Post WWI, pre WWII, England, women's fiction, mystery, cozy.
Characters: All the favorites from book one, plus new faces, such as Reenie's new landlady, and women who used to work for the factory and are now mothers (and therefore not allowed to be employed), and are exceptionally called back as temporary workers to rebuild from the damage from book one and prepare for the king's visit.
Normally, I'll read the first book of a series and never pick up the next one or wait years to continue it. In this case, I reserved book two as soon as I finished book one. This series is so great and cozy. I do recommend reading book one before two, just to understand some character backgrounds. Looking forward to book three. Wish this could be a tv series!
May 12, 2021
I had quite high expectations for this book after reading the blurb and thinking this book will be a great follow on from the first book but I have to admit I was slightly disappointed. I enjoyed the storyline and characters but you had to get through 80 percent of the book before actually getting to the part where the King and Queen come to the factory which I was hoping for a bit more to that part of the story but it just didn’t happen. Overall I enjoyed the book and the twists and turns for the storyline but it didn’t live up to the expectations I had I’m afraid.
July 20, 2020
Absolutely LOVED this feel good book! It encompasses sadness & loss, but also hope, love, and so much laughter. You get so attached to the characters in this series, even ditzy Bess. The only criticism I have is where is the justice for awful Cynthia and that spoiled cow Dolly?!! I really am rooting for Mr. Balm, I just adore him!! Such a well written and thoughtful book, I felt like I was in the 1930’s. Also I want to go buy some Quality Street treats right now :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2020
Enjoyable read. So many characters and storylines to follow. It's so interesting to read about the inequality of married women in the workplace during the 1930s. I wish I had have read the first in the series to understand more about the character's pasts but I'll have to put that on my to be read pile.
March 20, 2021
Both books were wonderful to read
They were both warm, whitty and I couldn't put them down. Every one of the characters came to life even the horse had immense character, no wonder he has fan mail. The author knows her stuff and brings it to life in every page. Absolutely brilliant. Thank you for giving me so many hours of absorbing reading
They were both warm, whitty and I couldn't put them down. Every one of the characters came to life even the horse had immense character, no wonder he has fan mail. The author knows her stuff and brings it to life in every page. Absolutely brilliant. Thank you for giving me so many hours of absorbing reading
April 28, 2022
I read the first one in this series (this is the second) and I liked this one so much more. This one was more about the factory and so much more what I was expecting. I loved how the storyline was woven together. The short chapters meant it was easy to read and my attention span was kept. Lovely boom look forward to reading the next one
June 24, 2020
Enjoyed this book! It was good to see the return of the characters from The quality street girls! The characters were relatable and I wanted to know what happened next!! Looking forward to the next book in this series!
May 30, 2022
I loved reading about the rise of women in the workforce, and the different managerial styles of different characters. Each side-story kept the plot moving at a great pace. The characters were likeable and developed enough. A super, quick read!
January 5, 2024
Hmmm, enjoyed it, but lots of 'threads' that just weren't tied up.
I'm aware that this is book 2 of 4, so hoping some of the characters stories will continue, but would have expected at least some of the characters stories to be tied up in this book.
I'm aware that this is book 2 of 4, so hoping some of the characters stories will continue, but would have expected at least some of the characters stories to be tied up in this book.
April 7, 2020
Fabulously toshy, pacy and fun. Also well-researched, quietly and brilliant feminist and politically astute. Dreadful front cover though - really don't judge....
May 19, 2020
Loved going back to the factory better than book 1
June 26, 2020
Enjoyed this book, about some of the people who are working at Quality Street factory, making those delicious chocolates.
December 3, 2020
A nice, quaint story. Light reading if you want an escape to simpler times.
January 10, 2021
Very good
Really enjoyed this story It was interesting reading about the girls who worked in the factory.
There were some great characters. Recommend it.
Really enjoyed this story It was interesting reading about the girls who worked in the factory.
There were some great characters. Recommend it.
January 13, 2021
An excellent zeitgeisty and yet wonderfully historical sequel.
June 6, 2021
Another lively story from the Quality Street factory, featuring Reenie and her friends
November 28, 2021
A great book. Nice to catch up with the Quality Street factory and the characters Bess, Diana and Rennie again.
June 7, 2022
It was great to be back with the Quality street girls again
I love the way the characters have developed since the first book and I hope this series of books will continue.
I love the way the characters have developed since the first book and I hope this series of books will continue.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews