Reviewed by Helen Redfern
A fabulous looking book, this cover twinkled up to me from my to-be-read pile. I had no idea what it was about, all I had to go on was that cover. But what a delight I found inside.
Marlborough Road is where three households rely on the cleaning (and counselling) services of Sally O’Neill. Sally is what we would have called working class (in days gone by) and the residents of Marlborough Road, middle class. Sally, Miss Black, Clare and Saffron go on a journey where their two classes meet, banishing preconceptions and prejudices on both sides, discovering a friendship they never thought possible.
Clare and her husband Tony have three children, described as free-range, out roaming the lane, with Evie the middle child bent on a rebellious phase towards her mother. Tony seems tied to the work place and isn’t much help.
Saffron is married to the increasingly distant Trevor. A lot older than the vegetarian Buddhist, how will he react to her shocking news? And will he get fed up with her mung bean stews that constantly simmer, stinking the house out?
Then there is Edith Black, a well off retired career lady; she now takes in lodgers (but only a certain class of lodger) at her home. Currently she has Fintan the opera singer and Otis, the rock poet (and waste of space).
What I loved about this book is that its like having a real good nosy around someone else’s house and lives – with no-one even noticing. The pace rattles along and not once was I bored even though it was just a seemingly tame story about the community of Marlborough Road during one particular period in time. McCartney has made some fairly ordinary lives utterly fascinating. A more contemporary Maeve Binchy perhaps (and that is high praise from me as I love Ms Binchy).
I cannot add anymore, I’ll just let the mark out of five speak for itself.
Rating: 5/5
Like this? Try 31 Dream Street by Lisa Jewell