Packing away a dead man's clothes is never a joyous task, the worse when the man concerned was the husband whom you loved. But a year had passed since Hercules Champion had died and his widow Gaia felt in her heart that the time had come to recognise the past tense and say goodbye if not to the memory of the man then to his garments.
The decision was made in the knowledge that this is what her husband Hercules - rationalist, lawyer and businessman - would have desired...
***
When Gaia Champion's souffle fails to rise in 1830s Bath, it sets off a chain of events that overthrows the settled order. Centred on the personality of local councillor and bachelor extraordinaire Bellerophon 'Belle' Nash, this first volume of The Gay Street Chronicles engages with social issues that were emerging in the early days of Queen Victoria's reign and still require our close attention today. A recurring cast of whimsical characters brings a gentle humour to the writing and to the strong feminist activism of Bath's first Lady Magistrate.
***
Set in Bath in 1831, this delightful book transported me to visits I have made to the city. There are several historic buildings which are mentioned in the book, and which I have visited, and so it was easy for me to be pulled into the setting of the novel. I could easily imagine the characters going about their business through the streets of Bath, making it very easy to become engrossed by the story.
It is a wonderfully escapist book; full of humour and wry observations and I read it with a smile on my face. In style, it reminded me of P.G. Wodehouse. It was the kind of humour that could be termed 'silly' and I mean that in a positive sense. The fact that the whole story hinges on a souffle which failed to rise demonstrates the point.
The characters were all delightful to read about, each one of them vital to the plot in their own unique way. The author made them come alive on the page, and I was sorry when I read the final page and had to leave them behind.
However, this is the first book in the Gay Street Chronicles series which I am thrilled about. I am informed by the author that the next volume will be published in the spring of 2023 and I can hardly wait.
ISBN: 978 1915023025
Publisher: Envelope Books
Formats: e-book and paperback
No. of Pages: 288 (paperback)
William Keeling is a former foreign correspondent of the Financial Times who exposed a multi-billion-dollar corruption scandal in Nigeria that led to his summary deportation. He eventually left journalism for chocolate, becoming co-owner of the historic chocolate company Prestat, but is still plotting his return to the tru home of jollof rice. Like his late uncle (referred to in this book), he has a creative mind. He lives and writes in Somerset. Belle Nash and the Bath Souffle is the first in his series, The Gay Street Chronicles.
(Thank you to Envelope Books for providing me with a copy of this book.)
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