121)īut where there was a nod to social issues, it set my teeth on edge. Without pruning, without him, they were more prone to disease, and the quality of their fruit would diminish. It seemed they understood the necessity of it, and trusted him to do it properly. Mr Wigg expected it caused them some pain, but they had never complained. The trees fell quiet while being pruned and those yet to go under the blade looked on soberly. Did I mention that there is a lot about fruit trees? (Mr Wigg hears the peaches sneering at the nectarines which he tried to discourage nectarines tended to bruise easily). There are a lot of Grandpa’s stories about the King and Queen of Peaches. There is a lot about a hard-working son, and his anxieties about his father. There is a lot about dear little children learning to cook with Grandpa. There is a lot about fruit, and the making of preserves. No, he’s not going to have a fall and wake up in hospital and thence to Aged Care.
There is a mild excursion into considering the issue of risk-versus-safety for the elderly, but the tone of the book makes it clear that there will be no nasty surprises. The novel is structured into the four seasons and follows the harvest, with occasional side-trips into the past. Set in 1971, it’s the story of a dear old man determined to spend the rest of his days pottering around in his beloved orchard, cooking his own produce with his grandchildren and reminiscing about his wife who died of cancer a year ago. (Though I doubt that anyone who likes sentimental novels reads this blog of mine), if you like sentimental novels you will love it. I wish I could remember why I went to the trouble of reserving this at the library… With Dirk’s help, Kersten sets a trap to prove her theories, but this case might unearth far more than she bargains for.Hmm.
Threats and mysterious stalking put pressure on Kersten, and Toni grows impatient with her secrecy. The victim was not alone on the roof when he fell, and evidence he’d collected for his case against the developer has gone missing. She soon discovers what she’s suspected all along. Kersten draws on old skills to investigate, hiding her activities, as well as details of her past, from her partner, Toni.
The police assume the death was accidental, but when it comes to light that the victim, a resident of the apartment building, was about to take legal action against the building’s developers, Kersten decides there must be a connection. When a body turns up in the courtyard of Dirk and Stacey’s apartment, they turn to their friend and neighbor, Kersten Heller, for support.
0 kommentar(er)
