Customer Reviews

Fletcher's End

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This book is the sequel to BEL LAMINGTON, but you don't need to have read the first book in order to enjoy this one.

Fletcher's End is the name of a house that probably dates back to the time of Queen Elizabeth I. The house may be haunted, but if so, the ghost is very gentle and just a side delight to the story. The house is almost a character in itself, beloved by its caretaker, Mrs. Warmer, and Bel who, with her new husband, helps to rescue Fletcher's End from the years its naval owner refused to spend a penny on its maintenance.

Besides Bel, we have her friend, the beautiful and nice Louise, who can't help having men falling in love with her, and a few of her beaus. Should Louise choose Reggie, the serious one? Alec the handsome and rich playboy? Roy, the also handsome former owner of Fletcher's End who's always broke?

There are other characters whom we meet who don't really have anything to do with the early months of Bel's marriage or Louise's love life, but who are nonetheless interesting, such as the chimney sweep, the old gardener, and the inexperienced Mr. James, the youngest partner in Bel's husband's firm. I enjoyed former secretary Bel teaching Mr. James a few of the ins and outs of office politics.

Yes, there are some unpleasant characters who manage to cause trouble and a couple of crises, but on the whole this is a nice little novel about good people, a good house, and love. I recommend it for one of those grey days, outer or inner weather, where you feel the need to curl up and escape.

Perhaps if I had read the first book of this duo, "Bel Lamington" first, I would have cared more about the characters and the plot. As in all of Stevenson's books, the setting is extremely important -- in this case the house and garden of Fletcher's End
in central England. Reading as these are rescued from ruin is lots of fun. However the plotting is so obvious that one is just waiting for the obvious developments to happen. I'm very fond of Stevenson's works, and in general recommend them highly, but definitely read "Bel Lamington" first. I usually read her books in a day, but this one, only 240 pages long, took me several days to plow through.