Book review – Major Pettigrew’s last stand

By Helen Simonson

This book, plucked from the shelf on the strength of its quirky cover, turned out to be a gem. The author spent her teenage years in a small village in East Sussex. She graduated from the London School of Economics and then worked to become an executive in a travel advertising company. Twenty years later, after attending a writer’s course, she had several short stories published. Major Pettigrew is her first novel.

The story is set in the small English village where the widower Major lives in retirement. The story line involves the various people in the village from the impoverished Lord of the Manor to the Pakistan family who run the village shop, all of whose lives are all entwined one way or another. Into the mix is the dispute over ownership of an antique and very valuable pair of hunting guns, an American property developer, the Major’s unlikeable sister in law and his son. The latter, who consistently disappoints his father, works ‘in the city’.
This is a very busy book with many sub plots, however the story moves swiftly along with the many characters, every one being well drawn – no cardboard cut outs here. Helen Simonson is an excellent narrator who is using first hand knowledge in her description of scenes, folk and situations.

I can do no better than repeat the New York Times book reviewer: – ‘you may find you’ve fallen head over heals for Ms Simondson’s funny, barbed, delightfully winsome story telling. Don’t say you weren’t warned. It’s about intelligence, heart, dignity and backbone’.

I will certainly be watching out for Ms Simondson’s next book.
Mike Beckett