The Tortoise Shell

'A joy to read' - PUBLISHING NEWS 'A romp of a read, full of high jinx and quirky insight' - MAVIS NICHOLSON 'Funny, wise and totally captivating.' - LINDA LEE POTTER Mulberry Cottage is the perfect country retreat. But with a cosmopolitan background and a lucrative career, Henny Brack is not sure she's ready to settle down. The village is also home to ninety-five-year-old Cecilia Boxendale. Scratchy, dauntless, she saves her caustic tongue for the ghastly Mrs Phillips (hell-bent on steering her into The Elms retirement home) and gradually becomes Henny's greatest friend. As crises loom, Cecilia remains steadfast. Ultimately, though, it is she who will face the greatest ordeal. Quirky, original and full of life, The Tortoise Shell, is both unashamedly touching and utterly realistic. It is a welcome first novel from an exciting new talent.