Step into the warmth and the cosy glow of the secret Christmas library...
Mirren Sutherland didn't expect an old book in her great-aunt's attic to change her whole world. But one minute she is staring resentfully at the sparkly London Christmas lights, dreading the thought of another Christmas alone. And the next, she is being whisked away on a secret night train to a grand old house in the highlands...
Jamie McPherson is desperate to save his family home - and he needs Mirren's ability to sniff out an antique to do it. There is a very rare, very valuable, and very lost book somewhere in the nooks and crannies of his family's crumbling estate. And if Mirren can find it, they might just be able to save the McPhersons from financial ruin.
But the house has its secrets, and when a snowstorm traps Mirren and Jamie in along with rival book hunter Theo Palliser, they realise that there is much more than just a book hidden in the halls. With old feelings and new sparks slipping through the cracks, it's a race against time - and snowfall.
With the help of a sprinkle of Christmas magic, will Mirren uncover the clues and find the book - without losing her heart?
Review: This book follows on from Jenny Colgan’s short story, The Christmas Book Hunt. That said, you don’t have to read the short story to appreciate this storyline; this book stands alone very successfully. It is set predominantly in the highlands of Scotland, and contains vivid descriptions of the stunning landscape. The book’s cover is one of the loveliest I have seen in a while.
The main character in the story is quantity surveyor and book obsessive Mirren Sutherland. She gained a reputation as a book finder after she tracked down a very valuable book in her great aunt’s attic after a countrywide search. This fact led Jamie McKinnon to her door to ask if she would come to his house to look for a rare book that might save his debt-ridden estate. Unfortunately for Mirren, Jamie has also invited fellow book hunter Theo Palliser to aid in the search. Mirren has an unhappy history with Theo. The task is complicated by the size and dilapidated state of the large house and by the fact that Jamie’s recently deceased grandfather, fond of puzzles, has left a series of clues as to the whereabouts and identity of the book. Added to these hurdles is the fact that Mirren is attracted to the two men with whom she is sharing the house, which, soon after her arrival, becomes cut off by a heavy fall of snow.
I very much enjoyed this book, and loved joining Mirren in her hunt for Jamie’s grandfather’s valuable book. The journey to Jamie’s estate in the family’s private train carriage featuring all manner of luxuries was magical; if only all rail travel could be like that. However, Mirren’s experiences in the actual house were more frustrating than magical since it was filled with nooks and crannies, crumbling away at points and freezing cold unless you could find a position near to an open fire. The story was very cleverly written, with so many clues to solve and so many wrong turns to take. I was completely immersed in trying to find the answer, as well as wondering which, if either, of the men she would finally choose. This is definitely a book to enjoy by a warm fire while accompanying Mirren on her odyssey.
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