Winter in Thrush Green

Thrush Green #2

by Miss Read

In the follow-up to Thrush Green, the arrival of a stranger in the village stirs ripples of speculation and interest.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, British Literature, Classics, Novels, Christmas, Cozy

226 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

Dora 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.

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another reread for me, and what a joy it is to re-connect with Miss Read and the villagers of Thrush Green. We join them in the winter, but there’s always something going on in the village, regardless of the season. The series truly captures a bygone age, where life just seemed to amble along, with the villagers making the most of their cosy cottages, real fires, hot tea and cake. There’s still plenty of time for gossip though, and the arrival of a stranger will bring much to mull over. Delightful!

[Antoinette · Rating 4 out of 5]

So enjoyed returning to Thrush Green in this the second book in the series. Thrush Green is a small village in the Cotswolds filled with delightful people. This time around, we have a new eligible bachelor move into the community. Gossip flows so easily here. So many hilarious moments as well as touching ones. A gentle, easy read which was a perfect fit for me in this hectic time!I am looking forward to the next in the series!

Published: 1962

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect comfort read.

These are nice and cosy, but that's not to say they are unrealistic; not all is harmonious in the village, but on the whole it is a delightful read.

Re-read 17/7/2024

[Julie Durnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet read! But I might have enjoyed it more if I'd read it more in season rather than in the slow starting spring we're having! But it is still nice to flesh out the stories of the people I actually first met reading the last book of the series by mistake! The Thrush Green villagers have become very dear!

[❀⊱RoryReads⊰❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

I'm now ridiculously attached to these fictional people. It made me so happy to see Molly and Ben again.

[Diane Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this little community and these people.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is there anyone not familiar with Miss Read's books?

Thrush Green is a small village in the Cotswolds. (I think I want to live there!) The winter months seem dreary, damp and cold, but the scenes Miss Read writes about are invitingly attractive; warm fires, hot tea and cosy cottages.

But Thrush Green also has its problems. Someone is stealing from the neighborhood, a memorial is to be arranged for one of the village's founders (with several various opinions being brought forth), and a new neighbor moves in. Will the community accept or reject him?

One thing is certain; Harold Shoosmith will be a welcome addition to the various community clubs and organizations who all seem to be in dire need of aid.

"A particularly vicious spattering of rain against the windowpane roused the rector from his chair.

'I must be getting back,' he said, sighing. 'There was just one thing that I wanted to ask you - but I seem to have forgotten it.' He looked about the snug room, so different from his own bleak drawing-room which no amount of firing seemed to make habitable.

"Anything to do with committee work?" asked Harold Shoosmith resignedly. He was already a member of the Cricket Club, Football Club, British Legion, Parochial Church Council and the local branch of the RSPCA, after a residence of less than two months.

The rector's wrinkled brow became smooth again.

"How clever of you!' he cried. 'Yes, it was. The Thrush Green Entertainments Committee asked me to invite you to join them.'

Ella and Dimity are two old friends who have shared a cottage and companionship for years. Along comes a new neighbor and suddenly Ella is threatened with anxiety for the future as her old friend Dimity forms a new relationship. If Dimity marries, how will Ella cope with living alone? And will Nelly Tilling, so suspiciously zealous in her good works, succeed in snaring a husband?

Not a complicated plot or even characters, yet this peaceful story of winter and Christmas in Thrush Green is a pleasant fast read.

"...away from the lights and worries of the town the quiet hills lay beneath a velvety sky. No wind rustled the trees and no bird disturbed the night's tranquility. Sheep still roamed the slopes as they had that memorable night so long ago in Palestine, and low on the horizon a great star, bright as a jewel, still held out an eternal promise to mankind."

Miss Read writes simply but pointedly, as she puts her fingers deftly upon the motivations of the human heart. It has been said that Jan Karon was inspired by this series of gentle stories with its quiet characters and small upheavals in village life. (After such a pleasant read, I have decided to read all of the Thrush Green books in order!)

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two years after the events of Thrush Green have seen a few changes in the village. The main characters of the first book fade into the background while the secondary characters come to the forefront. Mr. Piggott grumbles about all the work he has to do while waiting for the pub to open; Ella and Dimity are busy being nosy about their new neighbor, a man who has recently arrived from Africa; Miss Watson, the headmistress is assaulted and robbed in her own home and her junior teacher Miss Fogarty must rise to the occasion; Nelly Tilling is on the hunt for a new husband and has her sights set on one unsuspecting man. Harold Shoosmith has come to England seeking an idyllic 19th century life, only to discover that in the mid-20th century servants are hard to come by, but the neighbors are kind, especially the vicar who appears very lonely. Mr. Shoosmith has come to Thrush Green to his hero, Nathaniel Patten's birthplace. Nathaniel Patten was a 19th century missionary and the 100th anniversary of his birth is coming up in March so Mr. Shoosmith and the vicar decide to plan a memorial. The locals can't decide what it should be but seem to want Ella to make it. Harold is appalled at the idea and must find someone rational to work with. A few romances are in the air and Paul Young has a new friend. By spring Thrush Green will have changed just a little bit more.

This is such a sweet, charming series. I like the third person narration better than the first person of the Village School series. Some of the elements of village life are the same in both series but the third person allows for emphasis on a variety of quirky characters. Each chapter alternates between a set of characters so it kept me reading to find out what happened. I knew exactly "who dunnit" so I wasn't surprised, I just wanted to know if that person got caught and how. One of the romances was predictable and one surprised me. One is a bit off-putting and one is very sweet. Some of the attitudes in the book are a little old-fashioned and some of the references are more modern than what I'm used to. This series is a hybrid between the classic English village novels of the 19th century and a modern local color novel. The writing is beautiful at times and also very simple. I think this series must appeal to elderly people who lived in a small town or village like Thrush Green. The characters are all feel so very real that they must be composites of real people. I plan to continue this series.

[Linda Galella · Rating 5 out of 5]

WINTER IN THRUSH GREEN is a gentle entry into 2025’s Reading Challenge. Author, Miss Read, penned this visit to the tiny Cotswold town in 1961 with the story taking place sometime before then. It’s a simpler time and I welcomed it fully.

Read writes with an artistic palette of descriptive prose. You’ll walk the cobbles, squish in the mud, smell the sheep, lavender, honeysuckle as well as feel how long winter lasts. It’s a palpable joy when the sun shines again, warmth returns and the seasons changes.

Starring in this volume are a quirky assortment of well developed characters: a pair of unmarried school teachers with multiple mysteries to explore, the recently widowed village rector who has the most wretched house keeper, the church and school gardener/handyman who believes bathing is optional, unmarried friends who have shared a home for years are suddenly interested in the same new resident in town - an handsome, ELIGIBLE bachelor. The entire town has created a resume for him that is TMZ worthy!

Many more folks reside in Thrush green and the sister village of Lulling Woods, some of whom figure prominently in the story arcs. There is something for everyone: romance, mystery, history, humor, local flora and fauna and it’s all fitted together in the charming stylings from Miss Read.

I’m not sure I’d choose winter, but Thrush Green is definitely a place I’d love to visit and her people would make good or at least entertaining friends📚

[Mary Durrant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just adore Miss Read.
Her books have wonderful characters, a good eye for detail.
She captures village life of a bygone era, very evocative.
With lovely illustrations too!
A comfort read for a chilly day!

[Carol Bakker · Rating 3 out of 5]

{cackle} My husband and I went on an impromptu road trip and listened to 4/6 of the book while cutting a diagonal line through Washington state. Finally, Curt lost patience, and listened to radio static going through Snoqualmie Pass rather than this charming book. I'm actually surprised he made it through one complete disc!

Yeah, nothing happens. Just daily egg-gathering, electric fires glowing(ah, the luxury of *two* bar fires), tea drinking, snow swirling, and a widow conniving. For me, catching allusions is one of the joys. The psalms, Book of Common Prayer, Jane Austen (I think!) are referenced in everyday conversation. It's as if Miss Read is winking at us with a Mona Lisa smile.

While the setting is idyllic in many ways, Miss Read keeps it from being syrupy by her realistic portrayal of the village characters. It's easy to see why she was the inspiration for Jan Karon's Mitford books.

[Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second in the Thrush Green series, this one takes us back to the village some time after the events of the first book, when Molly Piggott is married to Ben Curdle and away at the fair, while Albert has been looking after himself. The rest of the village is moving along as usual but there is now a new resident in Thrush Green bringing with him prospects of romance and getting fully immersed in village life, a thief targets poor Miss Watson at the school, while Albert Piggott too finds that there might be some major changes in his life as Nellie Tilling sets her sights on him.

Once again a lovely visit to the gentle village, which might seem quiet but is always bubbling with activity. Life here is very real, with deaths and thefts and illnesses but also love and happiness, but still one feels one is in a calm/peaceful place where things don’t go so very wrong even when they do, and soon enough life gets back on track. Lovely read as always.

[Beth Bonini · Rating 3 out of 5]

In her second instalment of the Thrush Green series, ‘Miss Read’ plays a sort of square dance with the characters she established in the first novel. Newcomers in the form of bachelor Harold Shoosmith and widow Nelly Tilling are introduced, and there is a sometimes surprising change of partners in the village do-si-do. Miss Read takes the most unpromising characters - the shy Dimity Dean and the irascible Mr. Piggott - and she guides them through the most unlikely of romantic manoeuvres. There is also a small spate of village crime and mischief, and a ‘controversial’ village project, but none of the plot developments ever take precedence over the charm of the Cotswold village setting. For those of us who no longer know our neighbours, this gentle period piece breathes life into the ‘olde world’ where the most unlikely of companions had to rub along together.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

[Whistler's Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't remember how I got started on the "Miss Read" books, but I own a dozen of them in paperback and have read library copies of others. Miss Read was an Englishwoman named Dora Saint who wrote 32 books about the fictional villages of Fairacre and Thrush Green, all published between 1955 and 1996. Following the same characters and families for 40 years created a sense of realism and continuity that's missing in much of modern fiction.

Saint has been compared to Jane Austen and Barbara Pym, but there are differences. Austen wrote traditional boy-meets-girl novels. Pym's novels are set in London or involve characters who've lived there and want to go back. Neither lady was interested in the "lower classes." Saint DOES share their acerbic humor, which makes her gentle stories memorable and keeps them from being cloying. In this one, her description of the rumor-mill that pulsates constantly in any small community is both dead-on and hilariously funny.

This is the second of the Green Thrush series and was published in 1961. Unlike the Fairacre books (most of which are narrated by the village school-teacher "Miss Read") it's told in third-person and centers on the families living in the village. Saint had a wonderful talent for creating well-educated middle class characters and barely-literate working class ones and making all of them ring true. She was a village school teacher herself and NOBODY knows more about what goes on in local families than the teachers who spend all day with their children. Think you have any secrets from your kid's teachers? Think again!

There's a plot of sorts, although it never gets in the way. An empty house is purchased and the new owner turns out to be a single man, a rare bird in a village dominated by couples and spinsters. And he wants to raise a memorial to the village's most famous native son - the late, lamented African missionary Nathaniel Patten. The locals are happy to welcome a congenial new neighbor, but his executive skills are taxed as he tries to push the village into action. What's the hurry?

There are two love affairs. One pits the church's slovenly, bone-idle maintenance man against a portly, energetic widow who likes a challenge. There's never any doubt about the outcome, but it's great reading. The other is a sweet story of two lonely people who (to the delight and astonishment of their friends) find the courage to take the plunge and bring comfort and love into each others' lives.

Thrush Green isn't Eden. There's a violent crime that shocks the village and reminds them that no one is ever completely safe. Young couples struggle to raise their families, while older ones deal with the problems of ageing. They may not always manage to obey the injunction to "Love Thy Neighbor" but they accept the responsibilities of being part of a community. They can't solve each others' problems, but they help and it makes all the difference.

This book works as a stand-alone, although it would be even better to read the series in order. Because this is a continuing saga, there are explanations of what went on in previous books. There's more "exposition" in the Thrush Green books than in the Fairacre books, one reason I prefer the latter ones. If you're new to this series, I would start with those.

Like all of the books in this series, the reader gets to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones. What could be better? If you like good story-telling and believable characters, it's hard to beat this author. If you haven't discovered her, you should. I got this Kindle edition on sale, but there are paperbacks available for a few dollars. My library has many of them and yours may, too.

[Susan in NC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really enjoying this series, set in a small Cotswolds village in the 1950s, but feeling much earlier. I can’t describe why, really; maybe because they’re “clean”, with no swearing or sex scenes. I am somewhat reminded of Angela Thirkell’s Barsetshire novels, in that the reader follows a familiar cast of village characters through a harsh, snowy winter.

I find the stories heartwarming and sentimental without being cloying; there is some humor, but more a feeling of warmth and comfort. I really enjoyed the chapters on Christmas, the descriptions of how the residents prepared and shopped for gifts, cards and food for the festivities.

There is a newcomer, a single retired man who’s spent a corporate career in Africa; he befriends the vicar, the elderly, semi-retired doctor and two spinster ladies. We are lead to believe there might be a budding romance between the newcomer and one of the ladies, but there’s a mild, sweet surprise twist at the end as to who might tie the knot. There is another, more pragmatic match between the truculent, curmudgeonly church warden and a determined widow that provides some humor.

There’s also a subplot about the newcomer wanting to honor a son of the village who became a successful missionary in Africa. I didn’t find that very compelling, but as with Thirkell’s novels, the necessary committee meetings to organize the memorial gives the author scope for humorous interactions among the various characters.

I look forward to visiting the next novel in this charming series.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the Thrush Green series. A new character--a single man of a certain age--arrives in the village and sends all of the elderly ladies' hearts afluttering. I also liked seeing characters from the first book take steps in new directions or just continue on with the ups and downs of life. While the characters are a large part of why I enjoy these books, Thrush Green itself is the major draw. A part of me longs for such a place in which to live - somewhere with true seasons, natural beauty, a slower pace of life, and colorful, yet kindly, neighbors. I cannot help but think that life would be more fulfilling in the long run in such a place. Until such a place opens up for me, I'll at least have Miss Read's charming series in which to live and dream.

[Teri-K · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Thrush Green novels are all lovely stories of life in a tiny village in England sometime after WWII. They recognize and celebrate simple things like neighborliness and friendship.

This story gives us a new retired gentleman moving to town, changes in few people's circumstances, and a big Christmas snow. There's even the mystery of who hit the schoolteacher over the head and robbed her house. But these aren't stories about plot but about people and a place - a very special place that I enjoy revisiting year after year.

It's worth reading them in order, if you can, because it lets you watch everyone's lives over time. but it's not necessary.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my third Miss Read novel and my favorite so far. It takes place in the fictional village of Thrush Green in the 1950s. It’s very British and cozy in that there is no huge plotline. It recounts the ups and downs of the town folk and avoids sentimentality by showing people’s faults. The characters are summed up in a few eloquent phrases that enable the reader to picture them perfectly. Here's one example.

"The rector of Thrush Green bore a striking resemblance to the cherubs which decorated his church and his disposition was as child-like and innocent as theirs. He was a man blessed with true humility and warm with charity. From the top of his shining bald head to the tips of his small black shoes he radiated a happiness that disarmed all comers."

My only complaint is that the author highlights so many different characters that it's hard to feel like you are really "getting to know" any one person. Maybe you need to read all the Thrush Green books for that.

Nice escapist reading.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find these books a little bit of challenge to get into, but once I am, I love my visit to Thrush Green. And while there are some less than enjoyable characters, those are few and the good ones make up for them.

[Val Emhof · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spending time in Thrush Green is always so delightful!

[Books I'm Not Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the perfect time to read this - I wanted even more from the Christmas section! I was a bit sad that Miss Read felt always to describe the weight of one of the characters any time she was mentioned. But overall, it was just a joy to read.

[TheOldBookLady · Rating 3 out of 5]

As you get older, you get wiser (at least about yourself). I am not nearly as scholarly or as intelligent as I think I am. While attempting to be a good autodidact and reading Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Greeks, I got terribly bored and had to get a "rescue book". In this case, a book I had read once before and knew was good, Winter in Thrush Green by Miss Read.

For readers who have never experienced the gentle pleasure of Miss Read's books, her two series are about the fictional villages of Fairacre and Thrush Green somewhere in the Cotswolds of England, in the slower, more polite days of the late 1950s and early 1960s. These are gentle books, cosy and homey with kind and funny characters. Even the irascible church sexton Albert Piggot has his good moments and if he is not exactly endearing, he is at least funny.

Nothing much happens in these books, they are character driven rather than plot driven. The most exciting event in this volume is the addition of a new villager, Harold Shoosmith, and the decision by the villagers to erect a statue to a native son, Nathaniel Patten, who had established a mission in Africa.

The enjoyment comes from reading about the interactions between the different people in the village, and how they care about each other. It is kind of wistful reading, knowing that these places are no more.

Highly recommended for people who love cosy domestic books and England of yore.

[Rebekah Giese Witherspoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘And, of course, with children,’ Nelly went on forcefully, ‘you simply can’t be too careful. Especially,’ she added, as a happy touch, ‘when they’re not your own.’ She spoke as though the sudden disintegration of one’s own offspring could be borne comparatively lightly.

“Winter in Thrush Green” is my second visit to that delightfully cozy Cotswold village. Two years have gone by since my first visit, and we’re now living in 1960.

‘Good manners frequently drive one to dishonesty,’ agreed the rector. ‘It’s a nice point to consider—whether one should offend one’s host or one’s conscience.’

I love the domestic details, the gentle humor, and the charmingly imperfect characters.

He watched his wife bustle from the room to the telephone and lay back, contentedly enough, in the deep armchair. He was more tired than he would admit to her. The thought of sunshine filled him with longings, but the effort of getting to it he knew was beyond his strength. Better to lie quietly at Thrush Green, letting the rainy days slip by, until the spring brought the benison of English sunlight and daffodils again. The room was very quiet. The old man closed his eyes and listened to the small domestic noises around him. The fire whispered in the hearth, a log hissed softly as its moss-covered bark dried in the flames, and the doctor’s ancient cat purred rustily in its throat. Somewhere outside, there was the distant sound of metal on stone as a workman repaired a gatepost. A child called, its voice high and tremulous like the bleating of a lamb, and a man answered it. Doctor Bailey felt a great peace enfolding him, and remembered a snatch of poetry from ‘The Task,’ which he had learnt as a small boy almost seventy years ago. ‘Stillness, accompanied with sounds so soft, Charms more than silence.’

[C.G.Koens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this little series, the British "Mitford" if you will. Not as religious as Father Tim, but loveable characters and a simpler life. A delightful, cozy winter series to settle down with, and Book #2 ("Winter in Thrush Green") doesn't disappoint.

[Lynda Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot express how much I just adore all of Miss Read's books. I have read them all about three times and will gradually have to add my reviews for them all .... but will start with this one as it has always been my favourite. I think it is just something to do with the wonderful, cosy, homely Christmassy feel about it.

If you enjoy simple things in life and feel like a little trip back down memory lane to when life was so much slower, try a book by Miss Read.....they are better than medicine. The most loved and treasured books in my life that is for sure. And that is going back over 40 odd years since I read my first one.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading No Holly for Miss Quinn over Christmas, I decided the time was right to revisit some other Miss Read books. I love her style of writing and enjoyed enveloping myself in the world of Thrush Green again. In fact at one point I was so engrossed in the scenes involving various residents coping with the wintery weather that I was quite surprised to look up and not see any snow!

[Marie Godley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books - they may be a little out dated but they are a gentle read - with interesting characters who are true to life

[Nathalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading and re-reading Miss Read over the last two decades. Whenever I need to slow life down, I take a side trip to Thrush Green.

[Charlotte Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in a day and fully enjoyed it. It is what a village should be