What I've been reading in December

 This is a book that I was lent by a friend.

We had both read, and enjoyed, an earlier book (The Miniaturist) by this author so it was interesting to see how that story continued. 

The book is set in Amsterdam in 1705 and the main character, Thea Brant, has just turned eighteen.  The Brandt family are in financial trouble and Thea's Aunt is positive that the only way out of their problems is for Thea to marry a wealthy man.  Thea's mother died in childbirth and has had a sheltered upbringing but she discovers a love of the theatre and also falls in love with a stagehand who works there.  How can she tell her family that she has no intention of marrying anyone other than Walter?

Her Aunt Nella has her sights set on a suitable gentleman and cannot understand why Thea is refusing to marry him when he has such good prospects and the family's future prosperity relies on a good marriage.  

Then out of the blue Thea receives two anonymous gifts.  The first a miniature figure with a remarkable resemblance to her secret lover and the second a tiny house, intricately made.  (This echoes the storyline of the previous book) These are then followed by a blackmail note saying that the writer knows of her affair and requires payment to avoid disclosure which would bring shame to her family. 

Upon discovery of who is the blackmailer Thea is struck by a strange illness which drives her family to despair but it appears to be a symptom of the grief she is feeling. When she starts to feel better she feels that she has no alternative but to marry Nella's choice of husband in order to bring stability to her family.

But things do not go according to plan and at the end of the book we find that sometimes you have to return to the place you tried to escape from in order to make a new beginning.

All in all a good book.  Probably best if you have read the previous book but not essential and the ending definitely leaves scope for a third book in the series.

The next book is The Trouble with Goats and Sheep

I was drawn to this book as it is set in England in the scorchingly hot summer of 1976.  I have such strong and happy memories of that summer.  I was 18, I'd just left school and the weather was absolutely glorious.  The author of this book has captured the atmosphere of that time perfectly.  The tiniest details are exactly as I remembered them, right down to the little china animals, Whimsies, that the girls collect. The feeling of the unexpected heatwave right down to the smells of the tarmac in the heat.

The book revolves around the disappearance of Mrs Creasey, one of the residents of The Avenue, a cul de sac of eight houses where everyone knows everyone else.  As her absence lengthens the neighbours become increasingly concerned not only for her well being but because she was the one person they all confided their secrets to.  

Grace and Tilly are two young friends who find the disappearance intriguing.  Has she been murdered or simply decided to go away?  After a discussion with the vicar they decide that they need to find if God can be found anywhere in the Avenue and will ask around for evidence.  

Meanwhile, the adults are speculating about the possible involvement of Walter Bishop, an eccentric lonely man who lives alone and was once accused of taking a child from their home and abandoning her in the park.  His behaviour does nothing to allay their suspicions.  We have all read of such people being wrongly accused of crimes and it is easy to see why Walter is the target of their beliefs.  Grace and Tilly see a different side of him when they go to question him on the subject of whether God is living in The Avenue.

This isn't a particularly dynamic book and I felt the ending left a few questions unanswered.  But I did enjoy it and it was nice to be transported back to those hot and endless days of the summer of 1976.