The Empty House [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Rosamunde Pilcher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1992

Virginia Keole, recently widowed and uncertain of her future, is prompted to decision and action by Eustace Phillips, a man she once loved. (Romance).

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Her genius is to create characters you really care for' -- Daily Express 'Pilcher's storytelling skills are serene and beguiling' -- The Times 'Whether she is being poignant, wry or perceptive, Rosamunde Pilcher is always gentle' -- Woman's Realm 'It is never too soon to discover Rosamunde Pilcher' -- Good Housekeeping 'A beautiful, haunting story ... that will tug at your heartstrings' -- Prima --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

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 most-loved storytellers of our time. The Shell Seekers was followed by September and then by Coming Home and Winter Solstice, which were also immediately embraced by Mrs. Pilcher's devoted readers to become worldwide bestsellers. She lives in Perthshire, Scotland, with her husband, Graham, and their dachshund, Daisy.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 248 pages
• Publisher: MacMillan Publishing Company. (October 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560541490
• ISBN-13: 978-1560541493
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,167,430 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite Pilcher Novella, January 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Empty House (Mass Market Paperback)

I am in the process of reading all of Rosamunde Pilcher's books. This is the fifth of her "novellas" - short novels - that I have read. It is my favorite Pilcher book so far. It was an 'easy read' filled with cozy descriptions of English country life. I loved the plotline - a woman whose husband has died, and who has had a domineering mother and mother-in-law, has to find the courage to start life all over again, on her own. But, we know a romantic figure will enter and help her out once she gets this courage. This was the first Picher novella that I read that specifically dealt with English country farming life. It was charming and I hated it when I had to put the book down to do something else. A must-read for Pilcher fans!

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best romances I've ever read!!!, March 7, 2004

By 

L. Hall "kamheskin" (Cortez, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Empty House (Mass Market Paperback)

This was a quick read for me, and the second book I've read by
Rosamunde Pilcher,the other being Shell Seekers. I love her
writing style. She's included the perfect things for me to truly
enjoy a book: kids and animals.

It all starts when Virginia takes a trip with her mother. She meets a man and falls in love. Before anything can become of this, her mother drags her away.

She eventually marries and has two children: Cara and Nicholas.
When her husband dies, she returns to Porthkerris where she'd
met her first love.

The rest is just too delicious, and in my opinion,
Rosamunde Pilcher is one of the best writers, and we're lucky to
have her:)

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Yes, but...it's a Pilcher!, January 5, 2003

By 

"cbedrosian" (Gloucester, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Empty House (Mass Market Paperback)

In general, I agree with all of the reviews written here. BUT...I'm simply a huge fan of Rosamunde Pilcher. She writes wonderful, rich, escape-ism novels! They're great for relaxing, taking with you to the tub (w/ candles, bubble bath & a nice glass of something!), and so on.

When I pick up a Pilcher (or a Maeve Binchy) I'm not looking for War & Peace! I'm looking for interesting characters, some of them will be shown in a less-than-flattering light (at least sometimes), which I think is pretty realistic (since we all have our less-than-flattering sides/times!). However, realism isn't the key here. Descriptions of the places, the people, and the events are (I believe) Pilcher's strong suit.

True, this isn't her best work. But, please don't discard her as an author based upon this book! Give her others a chance, and give this one a chance as well. Just lighten up, and enjoy it! Don't dissect it. Allow yourself to escape into it's depths, and don't worry about how many times Virginia has met the love of her life, etc.! Pilcher's books are so much better than romance novels, you don't need to feel the related guilt and embarrassment when reading them! How refreshing...