Nancy Drew meets Antiques Roadshow.
Classic old chestnut from the late Dame Catherine Cookson (The Silent Lady, 2002, etc.).
Brawny antiques dealer Paul Aylmer took in little Alison Read after the demise of her uncle Humphrey, Paul’s wartime chum and business partner (the girl’s parents had died long before and tragically). Moving briskly past all the bodies, the author gets down to brass upholstery tacks soon enough: Can’t Paul see that Alison is a woman now? Young, yes—but wise beyond her tender years, and with an unerring eye for fabulous furniture and noteworthy knickknacks with distinguished pedigrees. Over the years Paul taught Alison everything he knows about things like French eight-day timepieces and octagonal Georgian wine coolers, but now he seems oblivious to her budding charms. Alison indulges in secret sobs into her pillow once in a while, but she knows that loneliness may well be an orphan’s cross to bear and dries her girlish tears soon enough—until Paul’s former flame reappears. Mrs. Freda Gordon-Platt is a heartbreaker still, and Alison jealously wonders what Freda wants from Paul this time. Apparently, Freda’s dotty mother-in-law, the first Mrs. Gordon-Platt, has concealed some valuable necklaces within various odd objects that have subsequently vanished. Is there anything Paul can do? The convoluted history of the Gordon-Platts is gradually revealed but not the whereabouts of the jewelry. The redoubtable old lady, a former beauty and social butterfly who no longer has use for such baubles, has hidden it all safely away from the clutches of scheming Freda—as well as from the much more deserving Margaret, her hopelessly plain daughter who committed the unpardonable sin of marrying beneath her. Enter yet another Gordon-Platt to vie with a young furniture dealer for Alison’s favor. Alison, however, is too preoccupied with her unrequited tenderness for Paul and the mystery of the missing necklaces to pay much attention. Is it possible that the old writing case up for auction holds a secret compartment? A deft twist of a penknife will reveal a surprise . . . .
Nancy Drew meets Antiques Roadshow.Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2002
ISBN: 1-58547-064-3
Page Count: 184
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2002
A sparkling, laugh-out-loud novel.
Polished debut fiction, from Australian author Simsion, about a brilliant but emotionally challenged geneticist who develops a questionnaire to screen potential mates but finds love instead. The book won the 2012 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an unpublished manuscript.
“I became aware of applause. It seemed natural. I had been living in the world of romantic comedy and this was the final scene. But it was real.” So Don Tillman, our perfectly imperfect narrator and protagonist, tells us. While he makes this observation near the end of the book, it comes as no surprise—this story plays the rom-com card from the first sentence. Don is challenged, almost robotic. He cannot understand social cues, barely feels emotion and can’t stand to be touched. Don’s best friends are Gene and Claudia, psychologists. Gene brought Don as a postdoc to the prestigious university where he is now an associate professor. Gene is a cad, a philanderer who chooses women based on nationality—he aims to sleep with a woman from every country. Claudia is tolerant until she’s not. Gene sends Rosie, a graduate student in his department, to Don as a joke, a ringer for the Wife Project. Finding her woefully unsuitable, Don agrees to help the beautiful but fragile Rosie learn the identity of her biological father. Pursuing this Father Project, Rosie and Don collide like particles in an atom smasher: hilarity, dismay and carbonated hormones ensue. The story lurches from one set piece of deadpan nudge-nudge, wink-wink humor to another: We laugh at, and with, Don as he tries to navigate our hopelessly emotional, nonliteral world, learning as he goes. Simsion can plot a story, set a scene, write a sentence, finesse a detail. A pity more popular fiction isn’t this well-written. If you liked Australian author Toni Jordan's Addition (2009), with its math-obsessed, quirky heroine, this book is for you.
A sparkling, laugh-out-loud novel.Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4767-2908-4
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2013
In his quest for easy moolah, Owen learns that the road to financial solvency can be rocky and fraught with work. Greene (Owen Foote, Soccer Star, 1998, etc.) touches upon the often-thorny issue of chores and allowances: Owen’s mom wants him to help out because he’s part of the family and not just for the money—while Owen wants the money without having to do tedious household chores. This universal dilemma leaves Owen without funds and eagerly searching for ways to make a quick buck. His madcap schemes range from original—a “free” toilet demonstration that costs 50 cents—to disastrous, as during the trial run of his children’s fishing video, Owen ends up hooking his ear instead of a trout. Enlisting the aid of his stalwart, if long-suffering, friend Joseph, the two form a dog-walking club that becomes vastly restricted in clientele after Owen has a close encounter with an incontinent, octogenarian canine. Ultimately, Owen learns a valuable lesson about work and money when an unselfish action is generously rewarded. These sudden riches motivate Owen to consider wiser investments for his money than plastic vomit. Greene’s crisp writing style and wry humor is on-target for young readers. Brief chapters revolving around a significant event or action and fast pacing are an effective draw for tentative readers. Weston’s (Space Guys!, p. 392, etc.) black-and-white illustrations, ranging in size from quarter- to full-page, deftly portray Owen’s humorous escapades. A wise, witty addition to Greene’s successful series. (Fiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2000
ISBN: 0-618-02369-0
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2000
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