Présentation de l'éditeur
Elfrida Phipps loves her new life in the pretty Hampshire village. She has a tiny cottage, her faithful dog Horace and the friendship of the neighbouring Blundells - particularly Oscar - to ensure that her days include companionship as well as independence. But an unforeseen tragedy upsets Elfrida's tranquillity: Oscar's wife and daughter are killed in a terrible car crash and he finds himself homeless when his stepchildren claim their dead mother's inheritance. Oscar and Elfrida take refuge in a rambling house in Scotland which becomes a magnet for various waifs and strays who converge upon it, including an unhappy teenage girl. It could be a recipe for disaster. But somehow the Christmas season weaves its magical spell and for Elfrida and Oscar, in the evening of their lives, the winter solstice brings love and solace.
Revue de presse
'The literary equivalent of the appetising smell of bacon frying' Penny Perrick, Sunday Times
As always, Pilcher is a sensible fairy godmother, bestowing happy endings upon the worthy and heartsick. . . [she has a] . . . remarkably evocative sense of place and watercolorist's eye for muted detail. (
Kirkus Review)
enchanting . . . bound to delight her many thousands of fans. (
Daily Express)
'One of our favourite writers' The Lady
Pilcher's strength is knowing what she can do well and writing about what she knows. She has a way of tapping into the emotional life of her readers and making them care about characters not unlike themselves. (
Daily Telegraph)
'a warm, comforting book, the kind you want to curl up with' Choice
An entrancing tale of middle-aged love, broken hearts and teenage angst (
Daily Express)
'warm and readable' The Scotsman
Rosamunde Pilcher's warm spell is charming and utterly convincing (
Daily Mail)
'makes you feel calm, contented and at one with the universe. You won't want to miss a word' Fair Lady (Sept 2000 - S. Africa)
'this lyrical novel weaves its own quietly captivating Christmastime magic' The Citizen (S. Africa)
Unashamed hymns to the virtues of domesticity, continuity and human warmth. And (they are) thundering good reads (
Lady)
'this book makes for rivetting reading.' The Independent on Saturday (S. Africa)
Another dose of the kind of heartwarming, gentle fiction for which she is known and loved . . . like a big mug of cocoa in front of a blazing fire on a winter night (
Press & Journal, Aberdeen)
A gentle tale of everyday happenings to a set of well-drawn and believable characters (
Peterborough Evening Telegraph)
'Worth the five-year wait . . . hugely enjoyable saga' Peterborough Evening Telegraph
A beautiful, haunting story. . . that will tug at your heartstrings (
Prima)
'huge and encompassing' Independent
'A relaxing, warm read.' Telegraph & Argus
Whether she is being poignant, wry or perceptive, Rosamunde Pilcher is always gentle (
Woman's Realm)
'a cosy winter's tale all about the healing power of love' Daily Mail (2001)
Biographie de l'auteur
Rosamunde Pilcher has had a long and distinguished career as a novelist and short story writer, but it was her phenomenally successful novel, The Shell Seekers, that captured the hearts of all who read it and won her international recognition as one of the best-loved storytellers of our time. Her most recent bestseller, Coming Home, was also made into a television film.
