Touch not the Nettle

by Molly Clavering

Susan Armstrong is savouring a quiet evening at home with husband Jed, but her peace is fleeting. A call from Jed's irritating cousin results in a visit from young Amanda, whose ace pilot husband is missing (and none too sorely missed). There are complications with their neighbours, the embittered Larry Heriot and his spiteful sister Ruth, and with the formidable trio of Misses Pringle, the gossipy Furies of the village. Susan's brother Oliver and cheerful wife Peggy come in for difficulties as well. Of course, it all works out in the end, but not before some distressing confusion, grave misunderstandings, and rollicking adventures, permeated with eccentric and lovable characters and vivid Scottish landscapes.

Molly Clavering was for many years the neighbour and friend of bestselling author D.E. Stevenson, and they may well have influenced one another's writing. First published in 1939 (under the pseudonym B. Mollett) and out of print for more than 80 years, Touch Not the Nettle reunites us with characters from the earlier Susan Settles Down (though they may be read in any order). This new edition includes an introduction by Elizabeth Crawford.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Scotland, British Literature, Historical Fiction

246 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1939

About the author

AKA Marion Moffatt.

Molly Clavering was born in Glasgow, but lived in the country from an early age. After six years' service wiith the WRNS, she settled in Moffat, Dumfriesshire, where she served on the Town Council.

Reviews

[Abigail Bok · Rating 2 out of 5]

Touch Not the Nettle (1939; the title is taken from a Scottish ballad sometimes attributed to Sir Walter Scott) is the sequel to Susan Settles Down, both books being set in the same neighborhood of the Scottish Lowlands. The characters from Susan who became engaged at the end of that book are now embarked on their married lives, so some new young people needed to be introduced to set this story in motion.

Amanda Cochrane is the young wife of an aviator/explorer; her husband has gone missing near Brazil and she comes to stay with cousins while awaiting word of his fate. It is immediately clear that the marriage was not a happy one and Amanda is distinctly ambivalent about the possible death of her spouse. She soon meets a troubled local man and sparks fly, though of course nothing can happen between them because of the inconvenient husband.

This unfortunate situation drives much of the action—along with a minor mystery about the local man’s past experiences and present state of trouble (he’s widely known for excessive drinking and bad temper). I found him a brattish sort and had no desire for this would-be couple to come together, which didn’t help me through the story much.

Some of the elements I reprobated in Susan Settles Down are less prominent here, the excessive flowery descriptions of nature, the patronizing attitude toward the locals; but this story had other unfortunate features that put me off even more—a tendency to melodrama and an exceedingly tedious deus ex machina who gets dragged in to tell an unlikely but convenient tale in a heavy Scots dialect and promptly drops dead. Lazy, clumsy storytelling! I am getting perilously close to giving up on Molly Clavering, despite adoring her 1956 novel Near Neighbours. Maybe I should stick to the post–World War II novels, which seem better.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a loose sequel to Susan Settles Down. Amanda Cochrane comes to a Scottish border town to stay with her cousin Jed Armstrong and his wife after her pilot husband “Cocky” is presumed dead after a crash in South America on a solo flight. Amanda is a delightful character and gets a new lease on life by settling in for a visit with Jed and Susan while waiting for news of Cocky, a rather unsavory character. We get to see quite a number of characters from Susan Settles Down, including Oliver, Peggy, and the Misses Pringle. I found the tone of this novel to be more somber than the first novel, so I didn’t enjoy it quite as much. I prefer my Molly Clavering to be lighthearted, I guess. But it is still well written and entertaining and ends well.

[Alisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a sequel to Susan Settles Down.

In this book, Susan and her husband give shelter to a distant relation, a young woman named Amanda whose aviator husband has just gone missing mid-flight. Amanda has been suffocating under her mother's interference, but she thrives with the change of scenery offered her by her Scottish relatives. Which underscores the fact that, in truth, she doesn't want her husband to come back.

This book was darker than I expected, especially with the neighbors that Amanda gets mixed up with. She finds herself strangely drawn to Larry Heriot, a rather morose hermit of a man with a dark secret in his past. And Amanda is persecuted by Larry's sister Ruth, who is a whole bunch of bad qualities rolled into one. It's not a relaxing read, and the ending is contrived.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sequel to Susan Settles Down is often funny—I laughed aloud several times at some of the characters—and sometimes thought-provoking. A charming story with engaging characters and truly lovely descriptions, and yes, a bit of melodrama but that didn't detract much from my enjoyment. Another wonderful addition to my favorites shelf.

4.5 stars

[Caro (carosbookcase) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Battling against the wind braced Amanda mentally as well as physically, whipping the blood faster through her tingling body, blowing the hazes of anger and distress and worry from her brain, so that never had she felt so confident that there must soon be an end to her troubles. Breathless, exhilarated, she struggled along, calling to the wildly capering Bawtie, who looked like a mad creature with his eyes rolling and both long black ears turned inside out. Yet all the time she was aware of a great peace, for high above the tearing wind lay those serene cloud islands in the starry sea of the skies, infinitely remote, so far removed from the little fret and stir of the world and human cares that even the wind, it seemed, could not reach them.

Originally published in 1939 under the pseudonym B. Mollett, Touch Not the Nettle is Molly Clavering’s follow-up to her book, Susan Settles Down .

Susan Armstrong is enjoying a rare quiet evening at home by the fire with her husband, Jed. Just as Jed is joking that the peace won’t last, they get a phone call. Jed’s cousin, Amanda Cochrane, is at a loose end and in need of a place to stay. Her pilot husband, Lloyd Cochrane a.k.a. Cocky, has gone missing on a long-haul flight. Not knowing if her husband is dead or alive, Amanda’s life is left in limbo.

The disappearance of Cocky’s plane has been well reported in the papers, and most believe the man must have died in the plane crash. Amanda’s appearance at Reiverslaw causes no end of gossip in the village, not least because Amanda isn’t conducting herself like a widow. Amanda, however, cannot allow herself to believe she is finally free of Cocky. Yes. It’s like that.

Chins are wagging about Amanda and Larry Heriot, a man who seems to have a past as dark as his moods. As in Susan Settles Down, the Misses Pringle are in full effect, but it is Larry’s sister, Ruth Heriot, that steals the show in this one.

Despite finding Larry a bit annoying with his “aren’t we two of a kind?” After only knowing Amanda about five seconds, I really enjoyed this book. It didn’t have quite the same charm as Susan Settles Down, and overall, it is a darker book, but that isn’t to say it lacks humour. The middle felt a touch slow, and while time drags for Amanda as she waits to hear news of her husband, I would argue that the reader should not have to share Amanda’s feelings quite so acutely.

This book starts in mid-September and runs through November, concluding the other side of the new year. Molly Clavering writes beautifully of the countryside and this book would make a lovely late autumn/early winter read. Although, I did thoroughly enjoy reading this book in June! I’m giving it 4.5 stars.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A follow-up to Susan Settles Down, so we get to spend more time with familiar friends. The daughter of of Jed's cousin arrives for an extended visit, which leads to some unexpected plot twists. I welcomed the added depth and complexity, interwoven with the usual "comfort read" I've come to expect from this author.

Thankfully, Clavering continues in top form with stunningly beautiful descriptions of the natural surroundings. And be prepared to immerse yourself occasionally in a bit of thick Scottish dialect.

Very enjoyable. 4.5.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Molly Clavering but this was not my fave of her novels. The description of country life was quite wonderful, and it's always a delight to spend time with Susan, Jed, Peggy, and Oliver, but I had trouble staying engaged with Amanda. It might have been the darker tone of the book, as one of the things I love about the author is her ability to show kindness as a superpower. Touch Not the Nettle focused more on guilt and obligation. I'm glad I read this book, but I hope the next one I pick up is more like Near Neighbours.

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another wonderful novel by Molly Clavering! I really enjoyed this sequel to Susan Settles Down.

As soon as I started reading this Furrowed Middlebrow edition, there were so many sections that I felt compelled to highlight. This author's nature and home descriptions are perfection! I was disappointed that the season of Christmas was passed over, though. I would have LOVED to read a cozy description of my favorite season.

It was a joy to revisit Susan, Jed, Oliver and Peggy in this book, but it was a treat to also meet Amanda (a distant relative of Jed's). The lively conversations between these four were my favorites. Sadly, the other characters in this novel (including the horrid Miss Pringles) are just frustrating, irritating and depressing. Of course, some of their appearances caused a chuckle or comic relief, but any interaction with Ruth, any of the Pringle sisters and possibly Larry were cringe-worthy.

Despite these unlikable characters, I still have a great fondness for this book. An illustration of the inside and the outside of Susan and Jed's Scottish home is one thing I wish was included in this republished Dean Street Press book!

Many, many thanks to my dear friend Caro (@carosbookcase) for buddy reading another Molly Clavering book with me! I hope we can read more of her books together very soon 😍

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was nice to have the characters from Susan Settles Down appear again, and on the whole I enjoyed the story. This story was a little darker than that novel, and having one of the main characters, who has been an alcoholic for years, be able to suddenly become sober when he decides to was a little disturbing. He and the heroine have a happily ever after, but would it be?

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot!

Jed and Susan Armstrong's quiet country life in 1930s Scotland is thrown for a loop when he gets a call asking if his cousin's daughter Amanda can stay with them for a bit. Amanda's husband is a pilot who was trying to break the speed record for flying from England to Brazil. But he and his plane have disappeared. Amanda has been living with her mother, and they are driving each other crazy.

Amanda hasn't told anyone, but before her husband left, she had started proceedings to divorce him. As she stays with Jed and Susan, who she comes to adore, she begins to love the Scottish country life, and the neighbors and friends that surround the Armstrongs. She feels comfortable and connected.

Then a friend of her husband shows up with information saying he has been found in a hospital in Brazil. He and Amanda's mother fly there to check things out, and Amanda has to start thinking about her future.

But the real stars of the book are the supporting characters and the townspeople, who are so authentic and entertaining. Reading the book is like being enveloped in their little village. Funny and sad things happen, and things work out in the end, but it's sure fun getting there!

[Cynthia Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Christine Goodnough · Rating 5 out of 5]

A second story to follow Susan Settles Down. I was glad to find the same sympathetic characters, with addition of the not-so-grieving Amanda and her long-suffering mother. The writer drew me into her tale very skillfully, so I enjoyed this book--though a few scenes were rather a credibility stretch.
The story of Amanda's marriage comes out slowly as the plot progresses; readers don't find out the reason for Larry's torment until the end. As other readers have noted, this book is darker and sadder than the first one.
Readers should be aware that there is dialect thrown in here and there, and Amanda has a visit with an old shepherd who speaks a heavy "broad Scots." I got the gist of it, but it isn't easy to understand. As usual, her descriptions of the lowland scenery is very colorful and inviting.

[Karen (Living Unabridged) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever read a book and hate to leave the characters and the world and THEN you find out: there's a sequel! What a bookish joy.

The sequel isn't quite as sparkling as its predecessor but the main points are all there. I wish there had been more about Susan, Jed, Peggy and Oliver and their lives, and less about Amanda, her absent husband, her overbearing, ridiculous mother and...well most of her love-interest plot. I didn't hate it, but I felt jealous over the original characters and their feelings. (But I guess it's pretty hard to write a sequel when everyone is living happily ever after.)

[P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

A follow up to the much better "Susan Settles Down' a generally pleasant read. Nettle has a host of characters who sting - the unpleasant types which are fatiguing to read about. In addition there is a vast amount of Scot dialect, which surely appeals to some but is unreadable to many.

dear goodreads:
Re your new format which is far too busy. Note that reading and reviewing books is a personal experience while your new colorful, new flashy new format is tedious to use as it bounces around the screen.

P.

[Niki (nikilovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Touch not the Nettle is the sequel to Susan Settles Down. While this was an okay read, it certainly didn't stand out, like Susan Settles Down. The characters were not endearing with the exception of those who were in the previous book. There was a bit of humor, but it was all from those same characters again. The new characters, who were the main focus of this story, just weren't very likable, honestly. I would definitely read Susan Settles Down again, but I would skip this sequel. 3.5 stars rounded up

[Jeanne Sauvage · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. Susan Settles Down was so charming. This book follows the same characters and adds some new ones. The new ones are ridiculously unlikeable and the "romance" is icky to watch develop. The author kind of lost her mind with this one.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A bit too melodramatic at times but still enjoyable.

[Iffah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to read about Susan and Jed's life together as husband and wife, also for Oliver and Peggy. I liked Amanda a lot, a few chapters in. It dragged on a bit, but I found it quite enjoyable

[Shatterlings · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit more of a romance than I usually read but the characters are fun, there’s a fair bit of humour and some melodrama. I enjoy these old fashioned reads, they do have such charm.

[Jill]

Not my favorite Molly Clavering book, but still amusing. Jed and Susan are hilarious characters, and they make the story worthwhile.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. How wonderful to re-visit Susan and Jed, along with meeting the very likable Amanda, who has gone to the country while she awaits news on her missing airman husband (no gem, he).

I would gently disagree with the reviewer who called this a “dark” book. The first third is lovely, and the unnecessary melodrama really only comes on strong in the final third. I wish the author had been more confident in her own abilities, as the book had the potential to rival D.E. Stevenson at her best. But instead of letting Amanda just recover from her past in the lovely Scottish countryside, Clavering introduces a really Gothic subplot, with needless melodrama that doesn’t do much to help the book.

I’m happy to have read it; just be aware that there is extraneous drama on the way to the conclusion

[Kay Robart · Rating 3 out of 5]

See my review here:

https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2022...