“Small Pleasures” by Clare Chambers

This novel is appropriately titled because a small pleasure is exactly what reading it was. A charming, well-written and well-researched book, which ticks every box required – compelling characters, strong plot, memorable setting, thought-provoking ideas, and a unexpected twist at the end too. It is part mystery story and part romance.

It all takes place in 1957 in North Kent / London and the central character is a local newspaper journalist called Jean who is in her forties, single and responsible for looking after a difficult mother. The staring point is her discovery that a young woman in her town claims to have given birth to her daughter without any involvement of a father – a case of apparent parthenogenesis, popularly known as a virgin birth. She starts investigating and her attempt (finally successful) to resolve this mystery kept me happily turning the pages late into the night. But there is much more to the book as investigating the case gets Jean involved with the family concerned and various other characters with whom they are associated. There is a lovely character called Howard, who is hugely impressive and representative of his time, who it is impossible not to like and root for.

Just a really good, interesting, entertaining and original read.