Miss Hargreaves

Now this was something completely different to anything I've ever read before. Norman Huntley and his friend, Henry invent Miss Hargreaves during a short session of lies referred to as 'spur of the moment'. Norman has a history of telling these sorts of tales but never quite like this. These two young men take things a step further by mailing off a letter to their made up character. They're in for the shock of their lives when Norman receives a letter BACK from Miss Hargreaves saying that she's arriving soon for a visit - and she shows up! I must say, Norman is the most chivalrous of young men for putting up with the antics of Miss Hargreaves, her pets and accoutrement including a hip bath that travels with her everywhere. Poor Norman's circle of friends quickly dwindle, including a girlfriend as suspicion clouds his relationships. Just what on earth could Norman be thinking spending so much time with an 83 year-old woman! Meanwhile, he is being driven mad by this woman's antics and wonders how he can undo the mess he's created. His father, Cornelius is a sympathetic listener but quite the oddball in his own right, lets just say he's rather hilarious! This book sparkled with nostalgia and an innocence that I found charming and refreshing. It was magical, in more ways than one. I loved it.