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The Wind Off the Small Isles and The Lost One
1879. Lanzarote. A wealthy young woman elopes with an impoverished fisherman, leaving her family distraught.
1968. Perdita West, secretary to a famous author, visits Lanzarote on a research trip and begins to fall in love with the unusual, beautiful little island. When, while snorkelling, a landslide traps Perdita in an underwater cave, her efforts to save herself will reveal what happened to the ill-fated couple who fell in love at this very spot almost a century ago . . .
1968. Perdita West, secretary to a famous author, visits Lanzarote on a research trip and begins to fall in love with the unusual, beautiful little island. When, while snorkelling, a landslide traps Perdita in an underwater cave, her efforts to save herself will reveal what happened to the ill-fated couple who fell in love at this very spot almost a century ago . . .
120 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 29, 2017
233 people are currently reading
306 people want to read
About the author
Mary Stewart
92 books2,903 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.
She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for young readers, she was admired for both her contemporary stories of romantic suspense and her historical novels. Born in England, she lived for many years in Scotland, spending time between Edinburgh and the West Highlands.
Her unofficial fan site can be found at http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com/.
Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.
She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for young readers, she was admired for both her contemporary stories of romantic suspense and her historical novels. Born in England, she lived for many years in Scotland, spending time between Edinburgh and the West Highlands.
Her unofficial fan site can be found at http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
November 27, 2019
3.5 stars for this pair of novellas, both featuring the same main character, a young Englishwoman named Perdita. For those who love Mary Stewart's retro romantic suspense novels from the 50's and 60's, one of the frustrations is that she only wrote about a dozen of them. So it was pretty exciting when I found out about these two obscure novellas, published in magazines in the 1960's and then lost for many years.
Seriously, I paid $5 for the Kindle version of this pair of books just so I could read "The Lost One," which I've never seen available anywhere else. (I already had a copy of "Wind off the Small Isles.") Was it worth it? Well, yes and no. Yes, I think, if you're a devotee of Mary Stewart. Otherwise, no (sorry, Mary!). They're not the best things Stewart ever wrote, but they're fun if you're a Mary Stewart completist. If you're not already a fan, I suggest starting with Nine Coaches Waiting, Madam, Will You Talk? or This Rough Magic instead.
3.25 stars for "The Lost One," a 1960 story which appears second in this book but is pretty clearly first in chronological order. Perdita, probably twentyish in age, and her mother are traveling to the Lake District to tour around (the same plan Elizabeth Bennet had!). They get lost in the English countryside at night because Perdita's mother's directions were bad - which is appropriate, Perdita points out, because her name actually means the "lost one." Then their car breaks down, so they make their way to a nearby farm where they see a light in the house. It's an ominous sign when the light is turned off as they approach the house, and no one answers their knocking.
Perdita's mother, nothing daunted, finds an unlocked french window and goes into the house to look for a telephone. And at that point things start to go really wrong.
There's no romance element here at all; it's purely a suspense story. My favorite scenes were with Perdita's mother, who cracked me up with her blithe indifference to rules and expectations, and has a habit of deflecting attention elsewhere when difficulty strikes (but then comes through when she's really needed).
3.75 stars for "The Wind off the Small Isles," published in 1969. If you're a fan of Mary Stewart's classic romantic suspense novels, this obscure novella has been like the Holy Grail: out of print, hard to find and wildly overpriced. For a few years we fans in the Mary Stewart GR group were passing around PDF copies of the pages in an old Good Housekeeping magazine, where this story was originally published. But now it's FINALLY been republished at a fairly reasonable price.
This is an appealing, bittersweet tale with Stewart's typical attractive and intrepid young woman protagonist, a detailed description of an exotic locale - this time we're in the Canary Islands - and the sudden appearance of a handsome stranger. The story begins with a pair of secret lovers planning to run away together in 1875, in a night with volcanic ashes blowing in the wind, and then jumps to the present day ... which is 1967, heh.
Perdita, now age twenty-three, who describes her job with a popular author as "personal assistant, chauffeur, dog, devil and dairymaid, and whatever you call the person who is sent out in front to draw the fire," travels with the author, Mrs. Gresham, to the volcanic island of Lanzarote to research it as the setting for a new novel. There, in the first of several highly improbable coincidences, they run into the author's son Mike, who's the assistant to a well-known playwright who tells the story of the mystery of the runaway lovers from long ago. I liked the way the mystery from the past affected, and was reflected in, the current events.
"The Wind Off the Small Isles" is enjoyable but could have used more fleshing out. It feels a bit abrupt - most of the story takes place in just two days - and the romance is necessarily rushed. :)
At one point Perdita comments about her author-employer:
Seriously, I paid $5 for the Kindle version of this pair of books just so I could read "The Lost One," which I've never seen available anywhere else. (I already had a copy of "Wind off the Small Isles.") Was it worth it? Well, yes and no. Yes, I think, if you're a devotee of Mary Stewart. Otherwise, no (sorry, Mary!). They're not the best things Stewart ever wrote, but they're fun if you're a Mary Stewart completist. If you're not already a fan, I suggest starting with Nine Coaches Waiting, Madam, Will You Talk? or This Rough Magic instead.
3.25 stars for "The Lost One," a 1960 story which appears second in this book but is pretty clearly first in chronological order. Perdita, probably twentyish in age, and her mother are traveling to the Lake District to tour around (the same plan Elizabeth Bennet had!). They get lost in the English countryside at night because Perdita's mother's directions were bad - which is appropriate, Perdita points out, because her name actually means the "lost one." Then their car breaks down, so they make their way to a nearby farm where they see a light in the house. It's an ominous sign when the light is turned off as they approach the house, and no one answers their knocking.
Perdita's mother, nothing daunted, finds an unlocked french window and goes into the house to look for a telephone. And at that point things start to go really wrong.
There's no romance element here at all; it's purely a suspense story. My favorite scenes were with Perdita's mother, who cracked me up with her blithe indifference to rules and expectations, and has a habit of deflecting attention elsewhere when difficulty strikes (but then comes through when she's really needed).
They stared at us for a full half-minute of silence. While I cleared my throat and wondered just how to begin, Mother pulled her furs around her and looked the part of Fragile Old Lady with Headstrong Daughter, and left it to me."The Lost One" is a well-written but brief suspenseful adventure. There's not a whole lot of meat to it, and no romance at all. If it weren't written by Mary Stewart I think I'd forget it pretty quickly, but since it is a Stewart story it was worth reading for me.
3.75 stars for "The Wind off the Small Isles," published in 1969. If you're a fan of Mary Stewart's classic romantic suspense novels, this obscure novella has been like the Holy Grail: out of print, hard to find and wildly overpriced. For a few years we fans in the Mary Stewart GR group were passing around PDF copies of the pages in an old Good Housekeeping magazine, where this story was originally published. But now it's FINALLY been republished at a fairly reasonable price.
This is an appealing, bittersweet tale with Stewart's typical attractive and intrepid young woman protagonist, a detailed description of an exotic locale - this time we're in the Canary Islands - and the sudden appearance of a handsome stranger. The story begins with a pair of secret lovers planning to run away together in 1875, in a night with volcanic ashes blowing in the wind, and then jumps to the present day ... which is 1967, heh.
Perdita, now age twenty-three, who describes her job with a popular author as "personal assistant, chauffeur, dog, devil and dairymaid, and whatever you call the person who is sent out in front to draw the fire," travels with the author, Mrs. Gresham, to the volcanic island of Lanzarote to research it as the setting for a new novel. There, in the first of several highly improbable coincidences, they run into the author's son Mike, who's the assistant to a well-known playwright who tells the story of the mystery of the runaway lovers from long ago. I liked the way the mystery from the past affected, and was reflected in, the current events.
"The Wind Off the Small Isles" is enjoyable but could have used more fleshing out. It feels a bit abrupt - most of the story takes place in just two days - and the romance is necessarily rushed. :)
At one point Perdita comments about her author-employer:
Mrs. Gresham, who is nothing if not clear-sighted, once called herself “the clown with the normal clown’s urge to play Hamlet,” but this didn’t seem to me to fill the bill. I called it her “Sullivan act”, a finished master of light music breaking his heart to be Verdi.I wonder if Mary Stewart was obliquely expressing her own feelings about her writing of beloved, but light, romantic suspense novels. Soon after this she published the first of her Arthurian fantasy novels, The Crystal Cave. She wrote a few more romantic suspense novels afterwards, most notably Thornyhold, but her glory days in that genre were behind her.
January 21, 2018
I wish I could remember why I ended up buying this random book by Mary Stewart, with one novella and two short stories. The author is credited for creating the genre of "romantic suspense," and if this is representative of that genre, then "romantic" is light attraction and "suspense" is more like like thrill and adventure, resolved in an afternoon and followed by tea. Her female characters are independent for their era, also well-read, outspoken, but well mannered. Perdita is a character in two of the three works in this book, and whether she's the assistant for a "well-known writer" or traveling with her grandmother, she saves the day. It makes sense that Stewart's niece is responsible for having this work published, perhaps she herself is the model for Perdita. Originally published 1968.
September 1, 2019
LIGHT and FUN short story mysteries, and my first read with Mary Stewart.
Enjoyed them!
March 21, 2018
Bought this e-book to read The Lost One, a story which is not available elsewhere to my knowledge. Perdita, who is present in both stories, and her mother are traveling and have car trouble on a lonely road. They make their way to a farmhouse that is near and the dangerous and scary tale ensues. In the days before the cell phone, we were more at the mercy of others--but then the others were less often scary, I suppose.
Typical of Mary Stewart's style, this story was certainly worth the small investment in money and time to read it.
Typical of Mary Stewart's style, this story was certainly worth the small investment in money and time to read it.
May 3, 2018
This small book contains two novellas by author Mary Stewart.
This was the first time I've read something by this author but I really liked her writing. The prose is beautiful and she managed to add a sense of urgency to the plot that I found well done.
I'm not going to run to read the rest of her books right now, but I'll definitely look out to buy something more by her and see if this feeling remains even with full length stories.
This was the first time I've read something by this author but I really liked her writing. The prose is beautiful and she managed to add a sense of urgency to the plot that I found well done.
I'm not going to run to read the rest of her books right now, but I'll definitely look out to buy something more by her and see if this feeling remains even with full length stories.
April 2, 2023
This is a review only of “The Lost One”; I reviewed The Wind off the Small Isles separately.
The heroine of the latter story reappears in “The Lost One,” this time without her children’s book employer. She is on vacation with her mother, who gets them lost on the way to the Lake District and then their car breaks down. They are in the middle of nowhere but espy a light from a farmhouse and walk up to see if they can get help. Big mistake.
This short story really brings the action. Mary Stewart is known for her thrilling climaxes and here, she pretty much forgoes the buildup and gets straight down to business. I couldn’t put it down.
The heroine of the latter story reappears in “The Lost One,” this time without her children’s book employer. She is on vacation with her mother, who gets them lost on the way to the Lake District and then their car breaks down. They are in the middle of nowhere but espy a light from a farmhouse and walk up to see if they can get help. Big mistake.
This short story really brings the action. Mary Stewart is known for her thrilling climaxes and here, she pretty much forgoes the buildup and gets straight down to business. I couldn’t put it down.
November 29, 2019
November 2019 Mary Steward Group read. This is my second time to read The Wind Off the Small Isles and my first for The Lost One. I enjoyed Wind Off the Small Isles particularly, this time and last. I now have only one of her children's books left to read.
November 27, 2019
I’ve read the magazine copy of The Wind off the Small Isles. Last year or longer I think. Someone in the Mary Stewart group had a copy of the magazine it was published in an allowed the rest of us to have copies and we read together. Recently it’s been discovered that there was another short story that Mary Stewart did with the heroine, Perdita , that was lost for a while and it’s turned up ...and so the Kindle version of the story of the wind off the small isles has a copy of the book or short story of The Lost One. And that is why I downloaded the Kindle so I could read the Lost One with some buddies in the MS group. I have to say I really loved it! And I sort of want to go back and read it all over again tonight! Some of the highlights are from both stories. Not just one. I really enjoy the action and plot of this one and I was in the mood for a short story; being that it’s Thanksgiving week I didn’t want to get involved in anything too long ...attention span is too short.
Excuse me if there are errors, I am speaking into my phone because I’m short on time, but I will correct it from my computer in the next few days. Who cares, really?. Just know both stories are really fun reads and I highly recommend them.
Excuse me if there are errors, I am speaking into my phone because I’m short on time, but I will correct it from my computer in the next few days. Who cares, really?. Just know both stories are really fun reads and I highly recommend them.
December 7, 2024
I could read and/or listen to Mary Stewart's descriptions of foreign places all day! Short but very satisfying.
January 20, 2021
What a very pleasant treat, on this rumbustious Storm Christoph day, in the middle of the Covid pandemic, to curl up on the sofa with a nice cup of tea and reacquaint myself with Mary Stewart, whose writing I so enjoyed over 40 years ago and haven’t read since!
September 14, 2018
This was utterly delightful!
Such beautiful descriptions of nature, while also focusing on a little action, drama and adventure all rolled into just a few pages.
Of course that can't be a lot of actual development or introduction or anything deep in those stories, they are both around 50 pages long! how could there be?
But there is enough to be entertained and delighted!
The wind off the small isles shares a nice story starting out with a couple from the isles in 1879 and than jumps to 1968 to learn what happened with them. What i personally loved about this was how Stewart managed to set the atmosphere of the cave, of the darkness and the beautiful descriptions of the isles! She made me want to go to Lanzarote just so be able to experience that strange nature as well! Which is an achievement, let me tell you, after really playing nicely on my fear of cave-ins!
It was a beautiful little story, not necessary unexpected where it was going but beautifully told non the less with really nice characters and way of telling what was happening!
And The lost one is a completely different little story with the same main character Perdita - which yes that name did make me think of 101 dalmations, anyone else?!- anyways.... different setting, no longer on a isles between africa and spain as in the first story, instead it is set in the middle of Scotland, driving along in a car at night when the car stops with engine troubles in the middle of nowhere on a country road... yeah that is not at all a huge nightmare scenario for any women at all. Or maybe that is just another childhood thing of mine? Possible...
Maybe i just love this little book so much because stewart actually managed two really pin not one but two things that i always was quiet a bit afraid of without even actually making that the main focus on the story, but still focusing enough on it that it really got do me. NOW that is a talent in my eyes!
I am getting side tracks like nobodies business in this review! Sorry!
The second story is about Perdita and her mother driving along a country road, getting car trouble and making their way along a dark country road to a farm house not to far away from their car, and from there on the story evolves into a lot and it was beautiful!
As i said, i am not sure if this book just managed to pin small points that just work for me.
Or if it was the really nice writing, actually making me feel as if i was there as well, experiencing with Perdita because Stewart knew how to describe a scene to suck the reader in!
Maybe i was just in the right mood to real those types of short stories?
NO Idea!
I loved it.
And i twas defiantly the perfect introduction to this author for me to make me understand why so many of my favourite book tubers have been OBSESSED with this author this entire year!
I am defiantly reading more of her writing and i already know that i will be rereading this book in the near future!
I also loved the introduction which was written by Stewarts niece, who knew her "aunty Mary" clearly very well and who is better to introduce a story or how happy they are to see them reprinted than someone that actually knew the person that wrote it?
Also there where no spoilers to the actual stories in the introduction which is way to rare for any type of classics be it modern or "old" since apparently it is perfectly fine to spoil an entire book/story in the intrudctinoary section BEFORE you read the book when its considered a classic.
Ramble!
sorry!
In this book that thankfully wasn't the case and it was a really nicely written introduction as well.
I LOVED this book, highly recommend it.
Be prepared for different but beautiful writing, that is utterly delightful but also gets to you IF you are willing to let yourself be carried away for a short story.
If you want build up, character building and anything of that nature... try something else by Stewart i guess?
Such beautiful descriptions of nature, while also focusing on a little action, drama and adventure all rolled into just a few pages.
Of course that can't be a lot of actual development or introduction or anything deep in those stories, they are both around 50 pages long! how could there be?
But there is enough to be entertained and delighted!
The wind off the small isles shares a nice story starting out with a couple from the isles in 1879 and than jumps to 1968 to learn what happened with them. What i personally loved about this was how Stewart managed to set the atmosphere of the cave, of the darkness and the beautiful descriptions of the isles! She made me want to go to Lanzarote just so be able to experience that strange nature as well! Which is an achievement, let me tell you, after really playing nicely on my fear of cave-ins!
It was a beautiful little story, not necessary unexpected where it was going but beautifully told non the less with really nice characters and way of telling what was happening!
And The lost one is a completely different little story with the same main character Perdita - which yes that name did make me think of 101 dalmations, anyone else?!- anyways.... different setting, no longer on a isles between africa and spain as in the first story, instead it is set in the middle of Scotland, driving along in a car at night when the car stops with engine troubles in the middle of nowhere on a country road... yeah that is not at all a huge nightmare scenario for any women at all. Or maybe that is just another childhood thing of mine? Possible...
Maybe i just love this little book so much because stewart actually managed two really pin not one but two things that i always was quiet a bit afraid of without even actually making that the main focus on the story, but still focusing enough on it that it really got do me. NOW that is a talent in my eyes!
I am getting side tracks like nobodies business in this review! Sorry!
The second story is about Perdita and her mother driving along a country road, getting car trouble and making their way along a dark country road to a farm house not to far away from their car, and from there on the story evolves into a lot and it was beautiful!
As i said, i am not sure if this book just managed to pin small points that just work for me.
Or if it was the really nice writing, actually making me feel as if i was there as well, experiencing with Perdita because Stewart knew how to describe a scene to suck the reader in!
Maybe i was just in the right mood to real those types of short stories?
NO Idea!
I loved it.
And i twas defiantly the perfect introduction to this author for me to make me understand why so many of my favourite book tubers have been OBSESSED with this author this entire year!
I am defiantly reading more of her writing and i already know that i will be rereading this book in the near future!
I also loved the introduction which was written by Stewarts niece, who knew her "aunty Mary" clearly very well and who is better to introduce a story or how happy they are to see them reprinted than someone that actually knew the person that wrote it?
Also there where no spoilers to the actual stories in the introduction which is way to rare for any type of classics be it modern or "old" since apparently it is perfectly fine to spoil an entire book/story in the intrudctinoary section BEFORE you read the book when its considered a classic.
Ramble!
sorry!
In this book that thankfully wasn't the case and it was a really nicely written introduction as well.
I LOVED this book, highly recommend it.
Be prepared for different but beautiful writing, that is utterly delightful but also gets to you IF you are willing to let yourself be carried away for a short story.
If you want build up, character building and anything of that nature... try something else by Stewart i guess?
August 26, 2022
I enjoyed the first novella - which is Mary Stewart through and through. The second novella was just mediocre and in my opinion not the same quality as the rest of her work.
November 17, 2019
This book contains a novella and a short story, both written with the same main character. It was a treat to read a new-to-me offering from Mary Stewart.
September 13, 2018
A beautiful novella and a short story set in Greece and featuring Perdita, as a catalyst. In the novella there is the sad story of Miguel and Dolores who have mysteriously disappeared as they eloped together, leaving no trace. Years later, Perdita is on holiday in the area, she goes deep sea diving and unlocks the mystery of what had become of the lovers. This is a poignant love story, but beautiful in the telling with elements of mysticism and romance.
In the short story, there is nail biting suspense, exciting and a page turner, where Perdita and her mother run out of petrol and go for help to a nearby farmhouse, where a mystery unfolds, leaving the family involved in serious danger. Will they all be able to survive and leave the farmhouse unscathed? Read on, its very exciting and difficult to see how this can end happily, I was especially concerned for the welfare of the family dog and raced through the story until I discovered if he was okay or not. So then I went back and re-read it more slowly!
I can recommend this book partly because I haven't read a lot of Mary Stewart's work before and I was curious, seen a film of one of her books and loved it. I was not disappointed. The quality of her writing is excellent, she tells a good story and brings a lot of emotion and suspense into her work.
In the short story, there is nail biting suspense, exciting and a page turner, where Perdita and her mother run out of petrol and go for help to a nearby farmhouse, where a mystery unfolds, leaving the family involved in serious danger. Will they all be able to survive and leave the farmhouse unscathed? Read on, its very exciting and difficult to see how this can end happily, I was especially concerned for the welfare of the family dog and raced through the story until I discovered if he was okay or not. So then I went back and re-read it more slowly!
I can recommend this book partly because I haven't read a lot of Mary Stewart's work before and I was curious, seen a film of one of her books and loved it. I was not disappointed. The quality of her writing is excellent, she tells a good story and brings a lot of emotion and suspense into her work.
February 24, 2019
These short stories remind me of why I love Mary Stewart's writing and inspires me to re-read her novels. She has a wonderful way of giving the reader a sense of place, and usually has a strong, independent, well-developed female main character. I took away one star because these stories are too short, particularly the first one, which may be why it was not published during Stewart's life time. Worth a read if you are a Stewart fan. If you are unfamiliar with her writing, start with one of her novels.
September 27, 2017
Such a wonderful little book! Thoroughly enjoyable.
July 20, 2022
First novella was delightful. Could have done with more. Second story was eh. Probably why it was never published before. But still Mary Stewart
March 28, 2024
this book is more interesting when you imagine that Perdita is basically a 1960s Thea Stilton- yes, the clever & beautiful sister and beat reporter a la the Geronimo Stilton children's book series. i mean, getting trapped in a cave while on assignment to help your boss research her upcoming novel-in-progress set on a small spanish volcanic island? stopping an escaped convict from killing a dog and evading capture by prison guards in small farm-town england? all Thea moves in my opinion.
(in all seriousness this was my first Mary Stewart read, and both stories are short, romantic little chronicles that are light-hearted and sweetly descriptive. its obviously written in the '60's, but that's good as i'm keen on books that sound like the time period they're from. nothing particularly spectacular about either of these stories, but a great vacation read. bonus points if your vacation is an old english countryside or a tropical island, so you can feel like you're right there with Perdita in her settings)
(in all seriousness this was my first Mary Stewart read, and both stories are short, romantic little chronicles that are light-hearted and sweetly descriptive. its obviously written in the '60's, but that's good as i'm keen on books that sound like the time period they're from. nothing particularly spectacular about either of these stories, but a great vacation read. bonus points if your vacation is an old english countryside or a tropical island, so you can feel like you're right there with Perdita in her settings)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2019
A quasi collection of thoughts and miscellaneous fan girl-in on Nine Coaches Waiting, This Rough Magic, The Moon-Spinners, and The Wind Off The Small Isles & The Lost One here.
July 30, 2021
Glorious writing! Short but so good. And that fantastic cover.....the 2011 Kindle editions all have these old vacation poster vibe, so good!
January 19, 2019
What a joy to read a *new* Mary Stewart story, "The Lost One", 59 years after it was first published in a magazine!
Dame Mary, you were one of a kind...
Dame Mary, you were one of a kind...
June 3, 2023
’The Wind Off the Small Isles’ was short but quite fun nonetheless. ’The Lost Ones’ was okay but honestly a tad unexciting despite all the action happening.
July 23, 2024
Review October 23, 2017
This book contains two long short stories, or short novellas, that were published only in the UK, as I understand it, until after Mary Stewart's death. They've been re-released in one book, and this was my first time reading either one. The protagonist of both stories is a young woman named Perdita.
My favorite of the two stories is The Wind Off the Small Isles, which is set on Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, a barren rock of an island formed mostly of cooled volcanic lava. The story takes place on what was once a cochineal farm. Cochineal is a natural red dye harvested from the bodies of insects that feed on prickly pear cactus. In the story, the farm has a history that includes numerous volcanic eruptions, and a tale of two lovers who eloped and were never seen again. By the time of the story, cochineal dye has been replaced by synthetic aniline dyes, so the entire island's economy is converting to tourism.
Perdita is personal assistant to novelist Cora Gresham. As soon as Mrs. Gresham sees the old farmhouse, she wants it for herself, and sends Perdita in to talk to the owner about selling. The first person Perdita speaks to turns out to be Mrs. Gresham's own son, Michael, who is assistant to another author, the owner of the house. I won't go into too much more detail, but the story is intense, putting Perdita in danger from an unexpected source of trouble, but one that makes perfect sense and fits into the setting beautifully. This brief tale contains a tiny bit of romance and a lot of suspense. I would not, however call it romantic suspense, simply a suspenseful story. It's quite good.
The second story, The Lost One, takes its title from the meaning of Perdita's name. This story seems to take place when Perdita is younger, when she takes a road trip with her mother, starting out from Newcastle and driving toward the Lake District on holiday. A bit of car trouble plunges them both into a tense situation and the story gets more suspenseful from there.
Short stories are not my favorite form of fiction, but these are written with Mary Stewart's usual finesse, and hold up very well. This is the first time I've ever seen her follow a character through more than one story, except for in her Arthurian novels. Not only is Perdita the protagonist of both, but there's also mention, in The Wind Off the Small Isles, of fictitious actor Julian Gale, a character who played a pivotal role in This Rough Magic, published four years before this story.
These stories actually provided a nice, more breezy break from reading Mary Stewart's longer novels. Now I'm moving on to Rose Cottage.
This book contains two long short stories, or short novellas, that were published only in the UK, as I understand it, until after Mary Stewart's death. They've been re-released in one book, and this was my first time reading either one. The protagonist of both stories is a young woman named Perdita.
My favorite of the two stories is The Wind Off the Small Isles, which is set on Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, a barren rock of an island formed mostly of cooled volcanic lava. The story takes place on what was once a cochineal farm. Cochineal is a natural red dye harvested from the bodies of insects that feed on prickly pear cactus. In the story, the farm has a history that includes numerous volcanic eruptions, and a tale of two lovers who eloped and were never seen again. By the time of the story, cochineal dye has been replaced by synthetic aniline dyes, so the entire island's economy is converting to tourism.
Perdita is personal assistant to novelist Cora Gresham. As soon as Mrs. Gresham sees the old farmhouse, she wants it for herself, and sends Perdita in to talk to the owner about selling. The first person Perdita speaks to turns out to be Mrs. Gresham's own son, Michael, who is assistant to another author, the owner of the house. I won't go into too much more detail, but the story is intense, putting Perdita in danger from an unexpected source of trouble, but one that makes perfect sense and fits into the setting beautifully. This brief tale contains a tiny bit of romance and a lot of suspense. I would not, however call it romantic suspense, simply a suspenseful story. It's quite good.
The second story, The Lost One, takes its title from the meaning of Perdita's name. This story seems to take place when Perdita is younger, when she takes a road trip with her mother, starting out from Newcastle and driving toward the Lake District on holiday. A bit of car trouble plunges them both into a tense situation and the story gets more suspenseful from there.
Short stories are not my favorite form of fiction, but these are written with Mary Stewart's usual finesse, and hold up very well. This is the first time I've ever seen her follow a character through more than one story, except for in her Arthurian novels. Not only is Perdita the protagonist of both, but there's also mention, in The Wind Off the Small Isles, of fictitious actor Julian Gale, a character who played a pivotal role in This Rough Magic, published four years before this story.
These stories actually provided a nice, more breezy break from reading Mary Stewart's longer novels. Now I'm moving on to Rose Cottage.
September 7, 2017
Okay, so The Wind Off the Small Isles is your classic Mary Stewart, a slight but graceful English romance but not quite reaching the heights of, say, The Ivy Tree (side note: omg The Ivy Tree). The Lost One, on the other hand, is half as long, short story not novella and I was gripped from the start and nearly crying at the end, first thanks to Perdita & Glen (go Glen! I cheered at the bit with the sheep. You will too, go read it) and then with laughter, thanks to Perdita and her mother. And the bicycle.
Delightful.
Delightful.
March 22, 2018
The last Mary Stewart book (novella and short story) I'll ever read for the first time. I am sad.
December 26, 2017
This was a ‘lost’ story, recently republished by her estate. Mine was my Christmas gift to myself.
Like a lot of her romance novels, it’s set in on a foreign island. Lanzarote is one of the smaller Canary Islands, off the coast of West Africa and run by the Spanish. The fact that they are volcanic islands is story relevant.
Perdita West works as an author’s assistant for Mrs Cora Gresham. They are travelling together looking for story locations. The author is keen to write a pirate story and wants to live temporarily on the location. They find the perfect house but it’s already rented by a poet and the author’s son, Michael Gresham, is his assistant like Perdita.
The poet is loath to share his story idea with them but eventually he tells how back in 1879 the house-owner’s eldest daughter eloped with a young fisherman. They were never seen or heard from again.
But I do wish it was a full book. Sighs…
I love the illustration that was in the original magazine version.

The Lost One
The second story, unusually for Stewart, is the same heroine. She and her mother are driving through the countryside and get lost. When their car breaks down, they approach the nearest farmhouse but as they walk into the yard, the lights go out and the dog goes quiet.
Her mother lets herself in an open French door, and they walk into an oddly tense situation with undercurrents of violence between the farmer, a woman and a young teen with his sheepdog.
There is something very wrong.
Perdita proves herself again. Although I guess this may predate the other story. If that is the case, it’s a wonder she isn’t frightened of water.
4 stars
My copy also has a few chapters of the start of This Rough Magic… which has obviously confused some GR readers… enough to make me want to read it again… dammit.
4 stars
Like a lot of her romance novels, it’s set in on a foreign island. Lanzarote is one of the smaller Canary Islands, off the coast of West Africa and run by the Spanish. The fact that they are volcanic islands is story relevant.
Perdita West works as an author’s assistant for Mrs Cora Gresham. They are travelling together looking for story locations. The author is keen to write a pirate story and wants to live temporarily on the location. They find the perfect house but it’s already rented by a poet and the author’s son, Michael Gresham, is his assistant like Perdita.
The poet is loath to share his story idea with them but eventually he tells how back in 1879 the house-owner’s eldest daughter eloped with a young fisherman. They were never seen or heard from again.
But I do wish it was a full book. Sighs…
I love the illustration that was in the original magazine version.

The Lost One
The second story, unusually for Stewart, is the same heroine. She and her mother are driving through the countryside and get lost. When their car breaks down, they approach the nearest farmhouse but as they walk into the yard, the lights go out and the dog goes quiet.
Her mother lets herself in an open French door, and they walk into an oddly tense situation with undercurrents of violence between the farmer, a woman and a young teen with his sheepdog.
There is something very wrong.
Perdita proves herself again. Although I guess this may predate the other story. If that is the case, it’s a wonder she isn’t frightened of water.
4 stars
My copy also has a few chapters of the start of This Rough Magic… which has obviously confused some GR readers… enough to make me want to read it again… dammit.
4 stars
April 19, 2023
Two short Mary Stewart stories! I'm a fan.
1. The Wind off the Small Isles
Imagine being on a remote Atlantic island near Africa. You're there with your employer, an eccentric writer of children's literature. She suddenly wants to make her vacation permanent, more or less.
Oh, I can't tell you everything, but welcome to the lovely volcanic island of Lazarote, the easternmost of the Canary Islands, owned by Spain. Imagine the sea breeze, the barren volcanic landscapes, and the birds flying above you, and the sun shining down unhesitatingly.
This is some kind of paradise. A perfect retreat for a writer. But your boss isn't the only writer to think this.
This is a novella of surprises, coincidences, and a run-in with island history. It starts with the history. A young woman prepares for an adventure. Meanwhile the nearby volcano spits out fire and lava flows. You're in the scene and in the story with Mary Stewart's amazing ability to describe unusual and exotic locations.
You will be glad you visited Lazarote.
2. The Lost One
This short story, originally published in a magazine, is non-stop action. The suspense and tension get intense right away.
Both the novella and this short story have the same protagonist, Perdita.
In this story she's heading off toward an upscale vacation with her mother. Unfortunately the two women become lost on the English backroads and then the car stalls while going uphill at dusk.
They decide to seek help at a nearby farmhouse. That's where things get weird. Of course I can't tell more because I'm dedicated to the idea of not giving spoilers.
Anyhow, there's a dog. There's a farmhouse. And there's people. That's all I'm saying. Also, there's lots of tension, terror, distress, danger, and fear.
I read through the entire story in one sitting.
The Group
I'm reading the Mary Stewart stories/novels with a group here on Goodreads.
Madam, want to talk about author Mary Stewart?
1. The Wind off the Small Isles
Imagine being on a remote Atlantic island near Africa. You're there with your employer, an eccentric writer of children's literature. She suddenly wants to make her vacation permanent, more or less.
Oh, I can't tell you everything, but welcome to the lovely volcanic island of Lazarote, the easternmost of the Canary Islands, owned by Spain. Imagine the sea breeze, the barren volcanic landscapes, and the birds flying above you, and the sun shining down unhesitatingly.
This is some kind of paradise. A perfect retreat for a writer. But your boss isn't the only writer to think this.
This is a novella of surprises, coincidences, and a run-in with island history. It starts with the history. A young woman prepares for an adventure. Meanwhile the nearby volcano spits out fire and lava flows. You're in the scene and in the story with Mary Stewart's amazing ability to describe unusual and exotic locations.
You will be glad you visited Lazarote.
2. The Lost One
This short story, originally published in a magazine, is non-stop action. The suspense and tension get intense right away.
Both the novella and this short story have the same protagonist, Perdita.
In this story she's heading off toward an upscale vacation with her mother. Unfortunately the two women become lost on the English backroads and then the car stalls while going uphill at dusk.
They decide to seek help at a nearby farmhouse. That's where things get weird. Of course I can't tell more because I'm dedicated to the idea of not giving spoilers.
Anyhow, there's a dog. There's a farmhouse. And there's people. That's all I'm saying. Also, there's lots of tension, terror, distress, danger, and fear.
I read through the entire story in one sitting.
The Group
I'm reading the Mary Stewart stories/novels with a group here on Goodreads.
Madam, want to talk about author Mary Stewart?
August 25, 2025
MY RATING GUIDE: A very Satisfied 4 Stars. Mary Stewart novels still entertained and are nostalgic treasures to enjoy.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/fairly good & might or might not read it again; 3.5= I enjoyed it & might read it again; 4= I LIKED THIS A LOT & WILL MOST LIKELY READ IT AGAIN; 5= I Loved this; it was great! & most likely will read again (I SELDOM give 5 Stars).
Perditda West, 23, is employed as an assistant + catch-all for a popular children’s author, Coral Gretchen. They are on a research trip preparing for a new book in the Canary Islands when they run across Michael Gretchen, Coral’s adult son. Michael is a hopeful playwright currently working for successful playwright James Blair who has just come off a record season with his latest play Tiger, Tiger with famous actor Julian Gale (brief mention of a MC in another Stewart book, This Rough Magic).
Comments ~
THE WIND OFF THE SMALL ISLES is a short novella only recently discovered in Mary Stewart’s papers (and subsequently published). It involves the mystery of a young couple who eloped in 1879 never to be heard from again. TWOTSI contains Stewart’s distinctive style, lovely descriptive prose which still entertains and kept my attention. I listened the audiobook very nicely performed by Susie Riddell.
I am currently revisiting Stewart’s novels which I devoured during my youth.They have held up well over time and I recommend them along with TWOTSI to readers who enjoy:
> revisiting Classic novels (titles from 1950’s-2000’s)
> less sexuality (or none) in their romances
> novels with a poetic and literary sense and descriptive, lovely landscapes
> a break from their usual reading. I listened to the audiobook wonderfully performed by Daphne Kouma. Disney
READER CAUTIONS ~ This is a Clean novel suitable for most readers.
PROFANITY - None.
VIOLENCE - None.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - None.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/fairly good & might or might not read it again; 3.5= I enjoyed it & might read it again; 4= I LIKED THIS A LOT & WILL MOST LIKELY READ IT AGAIN; 5= I Loved this; it was great! & most likely will read again (I SELDOM give 5 Stars).
Perditda West, 23, is employed as an assistant + catch-all for a popular children’s author, Coral Gretchen. They are on a research trip preparing for a new book in the Canary Islands when they run across Michael Gretchen, Coral’s adult son. Michael is a hopeful playwright currently working for successful playwright James Blair who has just come off a record season with his latest play Tiger, Tiger with famous actor Julian Gale (brief mention of a MC in another Stewart book, This Rough Magic).
Comments ~
THE WIND OFF THE SMALL ISLES is a short novella only recently discovered in Mary Stewart’s papers (and subsequently published). It involves the mystery of a young couple who eloped in 1879 never to be heard from again. TWOTSI contains Stewart’s distinctive style, lovely descriptive prose which still entertains and kept my attention. I listened the audiobook very nicely performed by Susie Riddell.
I am currently revisiting Stewart’s novels which I devoured during my youth.They have held up well over time and I recommend them along with TWOTSI to readers who enjoy:
> revisiting Classic novels (titles from 1950’s-2000’s)
> less sexuality (or none) in their romances
> novels with a poetic and literary sense and descriptive, lovely landscapes
> a break from their usual reading. I listened to the audiobook wonderfully performed by Daphne Kouma. Disney
READER CAUTIONS ~ This is a Clean novel suitable for most readers.
PROFANITY - None.
VIOLENCE - None.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - None.
February 3, 2020
This is the first book I've read by this author and to my surprise I have greatly enjoyed it. Both of the short stories in here are full of danger and adventure. The cover doesn't suggest that at all so don't let that fool you. If you like crawling about in dark caves, getting trapped or running into a dangerous criminal and being kidnapped then you'll love this book..the thrills and excitement levels are very high. And the situations are very real and believable too.
The two stories are:
The Wind Off the Small Isles: this story takes place in the Canary islands. Two authors meet there at a vacation house by chance. The woman who works for one of the authors decides to go swimming and she accidentally gets trapped in a cave! And while in there she finds something truly ghastly! Will she get out? The entire area is volcanic and that plays into the plot big time. Lots of tense, scary scenes. But I also feel bad for the poor fish that was trapped in the cave.
The Lost Ones: the same lady who got trapped in the cave is back except now she's travelling with her elderly mother during a car trip. And it's night. The car breaks. They decide to walk to a nearby farm house and decide to crawl in a window?! Her mother is very brash and often makes off the wall decisions. Anyway something is very, very wrong in the house and the two get involved in a huge mess! Will they survive? I really enjoyed the many scenes in this story. Her mother is a bit funny too I think. Lots of action and danger.
If you like adventure stories you'll probably enjoy this book.
The two stories are:
The Wind Off the Small Isles: this story takes place in the Canary islands. Two authors meet there at a vacation house by chance. The woman who works for one of the authors decides to go swimming and she accidentally gets trapped in a cave! And while in there she finds something truly ghastly! Will she get out? The entire area is volcanic and that plays into the plot big time. Lots of tense, scary scenes. But I also feel bad for the poor fish that was trapped in the cave.
The Lost Ones: the same lady who got trapped in the cave is back except now she's travelling with her elderly mother during a car trip. And it's night. The car breaks. They decide to walk to a nearby farm house and decide to crawl in a window?! Her mother is very brash and often makes off the wall decisions. Anyway something is very, very wrong in the house and the two get involved in a huge mess! Will they survive? I really enjoyed the many scenes in this story. Her mother is a bit funny too I think. Lots of action and danger.
If you like adventure stories you'll probably enjoy this book.
December 27, 2023
This rediscovered short novel, The Wind off the Small Isles, is classic Mary Stewart. The forward from her niece was delightful— confirming that she always traveled to the places she wrote about, usually at the behest of her geologist husband. This setting—one of the Canary Islands, a volcanic one— was beautifully described as usual. Even the alien landscape of lava fields and ash and basalt became “familiar” by the end. Of course there was danger and a hint of romance, but also a story within the story about an earlier mystery, tied up nicely by the end. It felt almost slightly autobiographical as two characters were writers describing some of their process.
The second text included is a reprint of a short story that first appeared in a magazine. The “Lost One” was set in the English countryside but had all the danger and suspense and humor that is so characteristic of her longer works. Perfect reading for a holiday!
I have enjoyed reading Mary Stewart’s works since I first stumbled upon her books as a teenager and this Christmas present brought me great delight—something by her I had never read! And unlike other authors that might have half-finished works discovered or published after their deaths, this was entirely satisfying and complete. A must-read if you are a fan of her works., or just a fan of mystery/suspense with light romance, exotic and gorgeously detailed settings, and a happy ending.
The second text included is a reprint of a short story that first appeared in a magazine. The “Lost One” was set in the English countryside but had all the danger and suspense and humor that is so characteristic of her longer works. Perfect reading for a holiday!
I have enjoyed reading Mary Stewart’s works since I first stumbled upon her books as a teenager and this Christmas present brought me great delight—something by her I had never read! And unlike other authors that might have half-finished works discovered or published after their deaths, this was entirely satisfying and complete. A must-read if you are a fan of her works., or just a fan of mystery/suspense with light romance, exotic and gorgeously detailed settings, and a happy ending.
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