Little Beechdown
This is a novel about a village and a village is its people and their goings on. Little Beechdown has its pub, the Cheesemans Arms, its church with new vicar Scott Mayfield, its village shop run by the local gossip Mrs. Batchelor, a village green and the school with its dedicated teachers and of course the caring local doctor Tim Gosforth who lost his wife some years ago.
Add to the mix the local formers, their farm workers and their families and the local characters such as Madeliene Springfield (Maddy) a lady with a history as well as barmaids, a couple of happy lesbians, a retired sea captain and his Chinese wife Mai Lu and then people who just live in the village because they love it and you have the makings of a story.
The novel covers a the joys and tribulations of several of the villagers such as those of teacher Elizabeth Holroyd, recently freed from her life of toil looking after her mother who has now died. Ted Johnson, out of step with the age and now guilty of rape, the young farmer's daughter, Rachel, victim of the crime, Mark Gosforth back from South Africa falling for the Cullthorpe's daughter Christine over from France, the tragic Mai Lu mysteriously dying of what she perceives as betrayal.
Then onto the scene comes Roger Hanbury buying the dilapidated Ullacome Manor, saving the local shop and giving the local youths something to do. The Standishes, newcomers to the village have their own domestic problems while troubled partners, the Trylans also face their demons. The very attractive local barmaid with her affair with local garage owner Paul Skipton and the minor criminal Billy Fuller add to the kaleidoscope which makes up village society.