Talk of the Village

By Rebecca Shaw

This is the second book Rebecca Shaw’s Turnham Malpas-series. It is an extremely straightforward and predictable story but, nevertheless, very enjoyable, about everyday life in a small English village.

In this book the truth about the rector's twins come out. There is also an incident of a child going missing, and of course there are some newcomers to the village. Will they adjust to village life?

Ghost Children

By Sue Townsend

This book has two separate stories that cross each other a couple of times, before they merge into one.We meet Christopher and Angela. They were once in love but when Angela got pregnant and had an abortion, they both drifted apart. Seventeen years later they meet again and although their outside appearances have changed, the way they once felt about each other has not.

Then there is Crackle and Tamara, and their 14-month old daughter, Storme, who live in a dirty council flat. Crackle is unemployed and on crack. Tamara is young and innocent, without an education, totally in love with Crackle. They are unable to take care of their daughter and one day she ends up in hospital with severe head injuries.

All the main characters in this book have somehow fallen outside of society, and Sue Townsend does a great job describing their lives, which are both filled with happiness and despair. She has such a keen eye for humour among everyday life that this book is definitely not a depressing read.