Written by Samantha Henthorn⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
|
Once again, I have been fortunate enough to have been given an Advance Review Copy of the next instalment in the Curmudgeon Avenue series. The World Does Not Revolve Around Curmudgeon Avenue will be published on 30th September 2020.
Today, along with my review, I am delighted to be able to share with you a short extract courtesy of the author, Samantha Henthorn. Thank you Samantha.
Today, along with my review, I am delighted to be able to share with you a short extract courtesy of the author, Samantha Henthorn. Thank you Samantha.
The blurb:
THE ONE WHERE THE B*TCH RETURNSReformed rent burglar Georgina Foote moves back to Whitefield and into number 13 Curmudgeon Avenue. She is desperately seeking Kevin but all she finds is nonsense. Collecting enemies at work and at home, Georgina Foote does not belong here.
Meanwhile, a mass exodus occurs when Wantha Rose, Ricky Ricketts and newbie Krystina moved to Greenmount. They think that the world does not revolve around Curmudgeon Avenue, will they find out that it does?
A denouement of sorts resolves the ghost's stories when Harold takes up residence in the House of Commons, and Edith reunites with her first husband.
Zandra Bennett's career takes on a new direction when she unwittingly starts channelling the ghost of Edith in the under-the-stairs space.
We finally get to find out Mrs Ali's first name, her story and her source of all knowledge.
Wantha and Ricky nearly get married, and we learn why the Rose sisters have such daft names. Their mother, Patchouli is still living the life of luxury, and occasional abseiling with Gil Von Black.
Not intended as a cosy read, the characters in this social satire provide an utterly British escape.
Will the nincompoops of Curmudgeon Avenue survive without the street?
The ending is a shocker!
fiction
satire
Humour
My thoughts:
For me, this series just keeps getting better and better. The World Does Not Revolve Around Curmudgeon Avenue is the fifth book in the Curmudgeon Avenue series, a series I have been enjoying for some time.The Curmudgeon Avenue stories are told by a house, Number One Curmudgeon Avenue. Number One tells us about the residents of Curmudgeon Avenue and their various comings and goings in its own inimitable way.
In this story, psychiatric nurse Georgina Foote has bought Number Thirteen Curmudgeon Avenue. We have previously met Georgina when she lodged with Edith and Edna at Number One. I didn't like her then, and I like her even less now, as we learn about her nasty and spiteful ways. Georgina is also quite deluded, believing herself to be irresistible to any man of her choosing. She believes that Kevin, her ex, will be overjoyed to take her back, once he knows she is looking for him. Kevin, in reality, is hiding from her, and even her own children refuse to help her find him. Georgina manages to upset the current occupant of Number One, self-published author Zandra Bennett, with a scathing review of her latest novel, The Melancholy Sneaker Hearts. And at work, she is just the colleague from hell!
The World Does Not Revolve Around Curmudgeon Avenue is another laugh-out-loud encounter with all of my favourite quirky characters. In this book, we find Patcholi half-way up a drain pipe; learn the source of Zandra's writing inspiration in the down stairs toilet; uncover Mrs Ali's real name; discover the origin of Wantha and Toonan's unusual names; catch up with the ghosts and their meddling; attend a book club; plan a trip to Ibeefa, and accept that the world really does revolve around Curmudgeon Avenue!
I think that although The World Does Not Revolve Around Curmudgeon Avenue could be read as a standalone, I would recommend starting from the beginning of the series to better appreciate the uniqueness of the characters and the madcap comings and goings on Curmudgeon Avenue.
Enjoy this short extract from Chapter 2:
The Uncanny Tale of Harold
In this scene Krystina and Stuart are watching the BATFAs and enjoying excerpts from The Uncanny Tale of Harold, a documentary about some strange occurrences at Number One Curmudgeon Avenue, when Wantha Rose turns up to share her wedding news with Krystina...
Back in Greenmount, Krystina and Stuart enjoyed further extracts of the winning documentary film, and Molly Ghosh’s speech went on for quite some time. Some would say for longer than is reasonably necessary.
Now, in Greenmount, nobody ever closes their curtains – it’s a thing. Folk can afford to be frivolous with their heating and lighting bills. How on earth would they gaze upon their opposite neighbour during the evening through window dressings? And so, behind their naked window, Krystina and Stuart were startled by a loud knocking.
‘OH!’ they both screamed like girls.
‘Your front door’s locked innit!’ Wantha squashed her face against to the window, her yellow afro hair surrounded by a cloud of vape steam. ‘Let me in den!’
Krystina slid down the hall in her slipper socks and unlocked the door (a fear had spread on the streets of Greenmount regarding youths trying front doors to see if they are open).
‘Alriiite,’ Wantha said, blowing vape steam in Krystina’s face.
‘Hiya Wantha, what’s up?’
‘Nuffin,’ Wantha had already made herself at home on the luxury furniture.
‘Alright, Grantham Horncastle.’
‘It’s Stuart!’ Stuart said – never a fan of his first name, but it made Krystina laugh. ‘We were just watching the BAFTAs... that documentary about Curmudgeon Avenue has just won an award!’
‘So?’ standard Wantha (I’m not offended) ‘Lissen, Krystina, the world does not revolve around Curmudgeon Avenue.’
‘Do you want a drink, Wantha?’ Krystina, used to the ways of Wantha knew how to distract her.
‘Yes, I’ll come with you.’ Wantha led Krystina into her own kitchen, and as she picked up the bottle of cucumber gin, Krystina picked up the kettle. ‘Oh, you want a drink drink?’
‘No, it’s okay, I’ll have a cup of coffee thanks, black coffee,’ Wantha sucked on her vape. ‘I love you, you know Krystina.’
‘Oh,’ Krystina accidentally poured boiling water onto the kitchen worktop. ‘I love you too, Wantha,’ giggled Krystina.
‘You’re my best friend.’
‘Oh?’ said Krystina.
‘Well, that is until Toonan moves back to Whitefield. Then you’ll be my second-best friend.’
‘Is your sister moving back?’ Krystina sat down at the kitchen table.
‘No.’ Wantha vaped.
‘Are you alright, Wantha?’
‘Yes...’ Wantha sipped her tumbler of warm wine (she had opened a bottle while Krystina was concentrating on the kettle). ‘You busy on Tuesday?’ ‘Yes, I’m working. Why?’
‘Colouring in with Francesca, is it?’
‘Haha, yes, she got a commission for a kid’s Easter event.’
It was at this moment that Wantha realised she was unable to draw Krystina into her circle of trust. Krystina was still working with Francesca, and Francesca was still big mates with Toonan. ‘I’ve been invited to a book club do you wanna come with?’ Wantha changed the subject.
‘A book club!’ Krystina laughed. ‘I didn’t know you could... I didn’t know you liked reading?’
‘I don’t. But the woman said that it's like a cheese and wine party with no cheese, so I joined.’ Wantha sipped on the warm wine. ‘Anyways, when I got there, the woman took my bottle of Prosecco off me... actually winked at me and said ‘Anything but Chardonnay!’ I didn’t have a f***ing clue what she was on about – they were well stuck up.’
‘Oh, so you want me to come with you? On Tuesday? Which book have they chosen next?’ Krystina asked. Wantha realised she had already mentioned Tuesday – time to leave.
‘No, it’s the last Tuesday of the month, not next Tuesday.’ Wantha stood up behind the kitchen table.
‘Oh, that’s fine... So... which book do we have to read before then?’
‘I dunno.’ Wantha shrugged, as she exited through the (unlocked) back door holding Krystina’s tumbler half-filled with warm wine.
| Author Bio – Samantha Henthorn |
|---|
 You can join Samantha Henthorn's mailing list to catch all the gossip and freebies from Curmudgeon Avenue. Samantha Henthorn was born in 1970something in Bury, England; where she has lived her entire life. Readers who enjoy Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes, Nick Spalding and the Bridget Jones's Diary series will enjoy her writing. Her books include the contemporary comedy-drama series set in Whitefield, Curmudgeon Avenue. The historical fiction '1962' (An Uplifting Tale of 1960s Lancashire), the short story collection 'Quirky Tales to Make Your Day' and the novella 'Piccalilly'. She has one cat, one dog, one gorgeous grown-up daughter and one husband. When not reading or writing, she is listening to heavy metal (particularly the grunge years of the early ’90s). Samantha would be thrilled to bits if someone read - or listened to her books. Samantha had a twenty-year nursing career in the NHS, working both in hospital and community settings in Salford. After a diagnosis of MS in 2005, she eventually accepted early retirement in 2014. Looking for a career where she can work for herself within a paced routine, Samantha remembered her love of reading and drew on her observation skills and imagination to start writing. Samantha often feels as though she is living in a sit-com and this is reflected in her style. Samantha looks after her condition by attending physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, sleeping whenever and wherever possible, wearing sunglasses indoors, avoiding emotional vampires and enjoying life as much as she physically can. |
| Social Media Links – | |
| Web site | https://samanthahenthornfindstherightwords.blog |
| https://www.instagram.com/samantha.henthornauthor/ | |
| Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16004689.Samantha_Henthorn |
| Facebook Author Page | https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaHenthornAuthor/ |
| X | https://twitter.com/SamanthaHfinds |
| Newsletter | https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/d0q2h7 |
Thank you Deborah! Another top quality post :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a very interesting read!
ReplyDeleteKeep smiling,
Yawatta