Harriet Cooper’s mother has died, and she is moving to a bus made into a caravan that she inherited from her aunt. She does not own the land it is on but is certain her cousin Magda won’t sell it.
Harriet is welcomed exuberantly by Magda’s husband Gregg and more reservedly by Magda, with whom she has a complex but caring relationship. As Harriet settles in, she and Gregg exchange memories of Scrubbs, a friend with whom she is still in love although he has been dead for years and preferred Magda, Harriet being younger and plain.
Although this novel was written in the 1960s, it still deals with issues from the war. Aside from Gregg and Scrubbs having been captives of the Japanese, the town council, which Magda is on, is dealing with issues of agriculture versus home development for a growing population.
I very much enjoyed this novel about a middle-aged woman trying to start a new life at the same time as trying to sort through old injuries. I found it interesting and touching.
I received this novel from the publishers in exchange for a free and fair review.
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