Guest Review: No. 17 Curiosity Lane by Christie Barlow

Music journalist Fern Talbot has just inherited a dusty antique shop from a woman she never knew. Her plan is simple: get in, sell it, and get out.

But when she discovers that her charming lodger, Daniel, is her train ride meet-cute, and a tantalising mystery wrapped up in a vintage wedding dress demands to be solved, Puffin Island quickly captures this devoted city girl’s heart…

Review: This is the fifth book in the Puffin Island series of books by Christie Barlow. Each book in this series is set on the island which is located off the northeast coast of England, and which is home to a large colony of noisy puffins as well as a community of people I have got to know through reading the previous four books. Although part of this series, each story so far has been a standalone.

This story features music journalist Fern, who is surprised to learn not only that she had a great-aunt Matilda who has died recently, but that the same person has left her an antique shop, No. 17 Curiosity Lane, on Puffin Island. She journeys there from her home in London intending to arrange a quick sale of the property and its contents before returning home. However, Fern had not bargained on meeting handsome sitting tenant Daniel, a lively musician keen to persuade her to stay and run the business. Nor had she realised that Puffin Island would work its magic on her and quickly feel like home. She still wonders how she is going to make a go of selling the odd variety of goods arranged haphazardly round the shop. When a stunning vintage wedding dress is dropped off at the shop with a puzzling note attached, Fern and Daniel find themselves in the midst of a mystery which could have major consequences for their future and reveal an astonishing secret about Matilda. As they uncover one astounding fact after another, they gradually become closer romantically.

This was one of those books that was, for me, difficult to put down, so eager was I to try to solve the mystery and to ensure that Fern and Daniel would end up together. I liked both Fern and Daniel. They could hardly have been more different, except for a common love of music. This was definitely a case of opposites attract. Going from her busy corporate world in London to sleepy Puffin Island must have been quite a culture shock for Fern, but the magic of the island that readers of the series are familiar with was almost bound to win in the end. It was nice to bump into a few familiar faces on the island, all of whom were welcoming to a newcomer as always. I think that this series gets better with each title and wonder how Christie Barlow can top this instalment with the next.

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