Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for The Widow’s Mite by Allie Cresswell. Do check out the posts by my tour buddies, Nicola at Short Book and Scribes and Em at Radzy Writes.
My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to take part in the tour and to the author for my review copy.
About the Book
Minnie Price lives in an impressive, gated mansion on a superior street in an affluent area of town. But in spite of the apparent comfort of her surroundings she has barely enough to keep body and soul together. She has retreated to a single room where she subsists on things bought as cheaply as possible or – better still – picked up for nothing. Her friends and neighbours are oblivious to her plight, too occupied with their do-goodery to see the need underneath their noses, while her unfeeling step-children do all they can to wrest from Minnie the little that she has.
Then one day, a caller arrives with what seems to be a life-line; a fund of money left behind by Minnie’s late husband of which her step-children know nothing. It is hers – legitimately hers – if only she can jump through the complex logistical hoops to release it.
Format: ebook (317 pages) Publisher:
Publication date: 6th February 2020 Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Purchase links*
Amazon.co.uk| Amazon.com
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme
Find The Widow’s Mite on Goodreads
My Review
The Widow’s Mite is the follow-up to The Hoarder’s Widow but you needn’t worry if, like me, you haven’t read the first book as The Widow’s Mite works perfectly well as a standalone read.
The Hoarder’s Widow introduced the reader to recently widowed Maisie Wilde, coping with the impact of the death of her husband, Clifford. She reappears in The Widow’s Mite and the book continues her story alongside that of Minnie Price, also recently widowed. The author shows real insight into the little things that can trigger moments of grief following a bereavement – an object, an anniversary, a familiar scent or a reminder of places visited together.
Besides both being widows what Minnie and Maisie have in common is, with a few notable exceptions, rather unpleasant grown-up children. Poor Minnie particularly suffers in this regard and, like me, you may give a little cheer when comeuppance seems possible. However, the two women’s financial positions couldn’t be more different. Maisie has been left well-provided for; Minnie most definitely has not leaving her prey to unscrupulous individuals. Again, the author is particularly good at depicting the frugality to which Minnie is driven and exploring with compassion Minnie’s feelings about the actions she takes as a result.
Although their stories are told in alternating chapters – Minnie’s in the past tense and Maisie’s in the present tense – it is through mutual friends that they eventually come together. There are some great characters among those friends and some fun moments during their trips together.
The Widow’s Mite demonstrates you can never know what’s going on behind closed doors but that there is always room in the world for generosity.
In three words: Engaging, poignant, insightful
About the Author
Allie Cresswell was born in Stockport, UK and began writing fiction as soon as she could hold a pencil. She did a BA in English Literature at Birmingham University and an MA at Queen Mary College, London.
She has been a print-buyer, a pub landlady, a book-keeper, run a B & B and a group of boutique holiday cottages. Nowadays Allie writes full time having retired from teaching literature to lifelong learners.
She has two grown-up children, two granddaughters, two grandsons and two cockapoos but just one husband – Tim. They live in Cumbria, NW England. The Widow’s Mite is her tenth novel.
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About the Book
About the Author
