Newlyweds Penny Nichols and Jeremy Laidley are living the life of your dreams. They are international spies, independently wealthy but with Old Money, the kind that includes heirlooms and country manors and Victorian town houses in London and flights to Madeira taken on a whim. But Penny did not grow up with money, so she remains a sort of Every Woman, down-to-earth, practical and appreciative.
Penny and Jeremy have just returned from their honeymoon when they are visited by an odd couple—mother and son—who drop the name of Prince Charles into the mix and ask for their help. Penny’s grandmother’s old house, in Cornwall, is falling apart and a Big Nasty Developer is breathing down their necks, threatening not only Grandmother Beryl’s house but also the whole coastline. The couple, mother and son, were friends of Penny’s family and also part of the Heritage Society, which has been trying to save the house for year. Now, they have come to ask Penny and Jeremy to come down and find some sort of historical significance to the site, which would save it.
A Rather Remarkable Homecoming follows their escapades, as they rent a small cottage from some hippie farmers, and find a hidden clubhouse containing notes written by Penny’s grandmother, great-aunt, and great-uncle, which in turn provide clues. It talks of the beauty of the Cornish coastline, and has a cast of quirky local characters, including a bird-watching earl and a punk drummer who wears a kilt. Shakespeare even makes an appearance, sort of, in the sense that there’s a possibility he spent a season hiding in the village, and Penny has to use all her sleuthing skills to find out if the story is true. There’s Celtic lore, tales of old smugglers, and a home for aging actors.
Penny’s part American and Jeremy’s British, and they met as children and reunited as adults several books back. This book is the 4th in a series, although it can be read on its own. Ironically, Penny and Jeremy first met in the various house they are now trying to save, and which is now in a very regrettable state of disrepair. In fact, the developers are so confident that they are already making measurements, and Penny and Jeremy find their time is running out. Only their determination can help them.
A Rather Remarkable Homecoming is perfect for an afternoon when you’re in the mood for something relaxing and soothing.
Elizabeth could do with a rather remarkable inheritance herself! Read more of her hopes and dreams at her blog Planet Nomad.