Hugh's Reviews > In a Summer Season

Another find in the local library, this one is Taylor's eighth novel, and was first published in 1961. Like all of her books, it is an enjoyable read full of perceptive observations, but this one has a rather more domestic canvas than most. The main protagonist is Kate Heron, a mother of two whose sensible first husband is now dead. She is now married to the rather less reliable Dermot, who is significantly younger. Her son Tom is a young adult working in the family business who is pursuing a casual affair with a Spanish woman. The daughter is still at school and and is becoming obsessed with a young local clergyman whose high church views bring him into conflict with the village.

The main action starts when Kate's neighbour Charles and his glamorous daughter Araminta return from a lengthy trip abroad. This sets in motion a somewhat farcical series of events, which build to a dramatic denouement which I won't spoil.

I have yet to find a book by Taylor which isn't enjoyable, but this one is probably not the best place to start.