The Misadventures of Margaret Finch

by Claire McGlasson

Blackpool, 1938. Miss Margaret Finch - a rather demure young woman - has just begun work in a position that relies on her discretion and powers of observation. Then, her path is crossed by the disgraced Rector of Stiffkey (aka Harold Davidson), who is the subject of a national scandal.

Margaret is determined to discover the truth behind the headlines: is Davidson a maligned hero or an exploiter of the vulnerable? But her own troubles are never far away, and Margaret's fear that history is about to repeat itself means she needs to uncover that truth urgently.

This deeply evocative novel ripples with the tension of a country not yet able to countenance the devastation of another war. Margaret walks us along the promenade, peeks into the baths and even dares a trip on the love boat in this, her first seaside summer season, on a path more dangerous than she could ever have imagined.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook

320 pages, Hardcover

First published April 4, 2023

About the author

Claire is a journalist who works for ITV News Anglia and enjoys the variety of life on the road with a TV camera. Her role gives her access to high-profile interviewees, and takes her behind-the-scenes at places that she’d never ordinarily get to go. But the biggest privilege of her job is spending time with people at the very best, and very worst, times of their lives and helping them to tell their stories. She lives in Cambridgeshire with her favourite people – her husband, daughter and son.

Her first novel, THE RAPTURE, which is based on true events in an Edwardian women’s cult, was published by Faber in Spring 2019. McGlasson’s debut novel about a real-life cult, set in 1920s England, is being turned into a television series after Hillbilly Television optioned the rights.

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blackpool. 1938

Margaret Finch is a clever but unremarkable young woman which is perfect for the job she is currently doing as it relies on her powers of observation without drawing attention to herself. One assignment leads to a tricky situation and a surprise but welcome rescue. Her path has crossed that of the disgraced and defrocked former Rector of Stiffkey (Norfolk), Harold Davidson, whose church trial has hit the headlines in a big way. Is he a victim of a campaign against him or as the church maintains an exploiter of those that are vulnerable? Davidson is in Blackpool seeking support and understanding of his plight. Margaret is determined to investigate and try to get to the truth but her own many issues and troubles may be her undoing.

This is a really different and colourful historical fiction and although Margaret herself is fictional, much here is grounded in fact such as the Davidson case and the research Margaret is engaged in for the ‘Mass Observation’ project. Margaret is complex, she’s self conscious, misunderstood and misjudged especially within her own family where adverse judgement is inevitably swift to follow. She is immensely likeable despite her awkwardness and the effect the Davidson case has on her. Her character fits with the context of the times and the position of women. Harold Davidson is an intriguing conundrum and his case is that of historical fact being stranger than fiction. It’s well worth reading up about him! It’s certainly a colourful tale!

The book is steeped in atmosphere, Blackpool with its many attractions comes alive as mill workers pour in for wakes weeks to let their hair down on The Golden Mile, the Pleasure Beach or the world famous Tower Ballroom. Margaret observes all as these holiday makers relax and have fun and through this Margaret comes to many a realisation about herself and the wrongness of what she’s doing. Descriptions here are rich, lively and you can easily picture them as the as the author captures the people as they wander from entertainment to entertainment. It’s gleeful, lurid, a bit vulgar but great fun. In the background but increasingly in awareness is the spectre of war and the growing realisation that this is inevitable.

Overall, I really enjoy this well written novel which transports you to the coast where you meet intriguing characters and in the case of Margaret, she shakes off the past and discovers exactly who she is. Recommended if you want to read some well researched HF that’s a bit different from the norm.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Faber and Faber for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[Fay Flude · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually avoid novels with an historical basis as I am an ignoramus, purporting to not be the slightest bit interested in world events. I just think dates, battles and the Church.
However, via Pigeonhole, I have slowly expanded my repertoire of reading material, choosing to read some historical books if the facts are based on social history.
Margaret Finch and her misadventures falls neatly into this category as author Claire McClasson has skilfully woven facts from the 1930's and 1927, with fictional but beautifully drawn characters to create a kaleidoscope of truth and imagination. The reader can experience what it was like to be a woman in 1930s England and how Mass Observation of social classes on holiday really did take place.
The events are entertaining and as we journey with a rather repressed Margaret we are given the same opportunity she is to reconsider our views of other people and their behaviours.
Interesting, gentle and rather enjoyable.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an unusual idea for a book! Works very well and, apart from the fascinating storyline, is full of interest for anyone familiar with the Wakes Weeks when whole swathes of north west towns took the train to Blackpool for their annual holiday. Felt very authentic.

[Gill Stollery · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really enjoy this

[Mrs · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this.
Set in the leadup to WW2, misfit lead character, bit of linguistics, Mass Observation, class, stories based on real events, the seaside.
Margaret escapes her unhappy home with a job in Blackpool, researching the behaviour of the working classes on holiday for Mass Observation. She comes across Rev Harold Davidson, Rector of Stiffkey, who is trying to raise money to clear his name by turning himself in to a sideshow. Incredibly, his part of the story is true.
I loved how Margaret’s character developed, how she learnt more about herself, and managed to change the parts of her she didn’t like while retaining her individuality. Great ending.

[Maria P · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Sally Carr · Rating 1 out of 5]

very slow and quite boring

[Mike Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice story with lots of depth and interest. I can’t wait for the authors next work.

[Rae]

Blackpool 1938. Mass Observation. Harold Davidson. Complicated protagonist. A slow burn and rather boring at times.

[Grace J Reviewerlady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very different type of read - but no less interesting!

Margaret Finch is 'in digs' in Blackpool as she works at her job. This is a novel which keeps it's cards close to it's chest; the story unravels slowly and enticingly. I wasn't exactly sure what Margaret was up to to begin with, but she is studious and methodical about her job, rarely interacting with her colleagues except for James, the man in charge of them all. As things proceed, we discover more about Margaret and her family life and I was most definitely on her side from there on in. A good read, true to the period and one which held my interest all the way to the very satisfying ending. 4*.

[Nicola Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Misadventures of Margaret Finch. First of all, what a title! That was what drew me in initially: what has Margaret Finch been up to? Then I read the synopsis, and the setting of 1930s Blackpool and a Mass Observation project had me really intrigued.

Margaret is there to observe holidaymakers' habits and dialects, to see what they eat, which activities they choose to do and so on, and it turns out she's rather good at the stealth observations and making detailed notes for her research. Through her work she meets Harold Davidson, the defrocked Rector of Stiffkey and she finds herself drawn into his case, trying to work out whether he's really guilty or not.

Margaret is an unusual character and her time in Blackpool led to what I felt were quite unexpected situations for a well-brought up girl in 1938, but I think it was a sort of rebellion for her and a gradual understanding of the kind of life she really wanted.

Where this book excels for me is the sense of time and place, the carefree holiday destination for so many families but with the prospect of war looming over them. I loved Margaret's exchanges with her landlady, and I particularly liked her interactions with her colleague, James. Sometimes I felt quite frustrated with Margaret but then I remembered that she had lived a fairly sheltered life and had very bravely set off for a new experience and a role that was very important to her.

Some of the book is based on fact and Harold Davidson did really exist. They say the truth is stranger than fiction and his story is quite bizarre and fascinating. I thought this was quite a quirky read, which took me a little settling into whilst I got a handle on Margaret and where the story was going, but which drew me in and got me really interested in the characters and the lives they were leading.

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Margaret is involved in recording the habits and speech of working class people on their wakes week holidays in 1930's Blackpool. She soon becomes embroiled in intrigue and adventures as she makes contact with a true person from history, a vicaracused of crimes against women who becomes an exhibit on the Golden Mile. I enjoyed the depiction of Blackpool, a town very fgamiliar to me from my childhood. The novel has a very southern and patriarchal view of the working classes as depicted from Margarets point of view. On the whole it was an enjoyable narrative on Margarets growing personality from detached and almost autistic, to enjoying life and letting go.

I found the prose somewhat slow and laboured in places but overall an engaging story with lots of evidence of research.
Thanks to Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read this book.

[✰matthew✰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i have mixed feelings about this book. i really enjoyed the parts about mass observation and any scenes with james, as well scenes about the seaside as it was then.

learning about blackpool in the 30’s and how it was then, and all about the mass observation programme was super interesting to me, i would personally have liked more information and time spent discussing this.

the parts with the rector weren’t as enjoyable for me and i recognise this was an important part of the book but it didn’t add anything for me.

in some parts the narrative seemed to stumble and struggle with where it was going, some of the scenes in pubs for example.

the past could maybe have done with a bit more exploration as i think this could open up the conversation about some events that happen later on in the book.

[Lana Levy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly I didn’t love this book, although some of the character relationships and the observations made were quite charming. I felt it lacked some of the humour that could have made the narrative arc more enjoyable to experience as a reader. That being said, it had a certain peculiar nature to it that was quite interesting.

[Roelia (Roelia Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical fiction novel follows the life of Margaret Finch, a young woman who works as an observer for a mysterious research organisation in Blackpool in the 1930s.

“She had always been a watcher, a listener, a collector of other people’s stories. She had a knack for blending into the background, for being invisible. She was a human sponge, soaking up the details of life around her.”

Margaret is a shy and lonely character, who feels out of place in the world and struggles with her past. She becomes fascinated by the controversial figure of Harold Davidson, a former rector who was defrocked for his involvement with prostitutes and who now performs as a lion tamer in a circus.

“He was a man of contradictions, a paradox. He was both saint and sinner, hero and villain, martyr and madman. He was a man who had fallen from grace, but who still believed in redemption. He was a man who had dared to challenge the establishment, but who had paid a heavy price for it. He was a man who had loved many women, but who had lost the one he loved most. He was a man who had tamed lions, but who could not tame himself.”

Margaret is determined to find out the truth about Davidson and his motives, but she also has to face her own secrets and fears.

“She realised that she had been living in a bubble, a cocoon, a shell. She realised that she had been hiding from the world, from herself, from the truth. She realised that she had been wasting her life, her potential, her gifts. She realised that she had been missing out on so much, on adventure, on passion, on love. She realised that she had to change, to grow, to blossom. She realised that she had to live.”

The novel is well-written and richly detailed, creating a vivid picture of Blackpool in the late 1930s, with its seaside attractions, social classes, and looming threat of war. The author uses real historical events and characters, such as the research organisation Mass Observation and the scandalous Davidson, to create a realistic and intriguing backdrop for the story. The novel also explores themes such as identity, morality, sexuality, and love, through the complex and nuanced characters of Margaret and Davidson.

“She felt a surge of emotion, a mixture of pity and admiration, of curiosity and fear. She felt drawn to him, to his story, to his mystery. She felt a connection, a kinship, a bond. She felt something she had never felt before. She felt alive.”

The novel is both entertaining and thought-provoking, as it challenges the reader to question their own assumptions and prejudices.

The Misadventures of Margaret Finch by Claire McGlasson is a gem of a book, that will appeal to fans of historical fiction, mystery, and romance.

With thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

[Adam Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had very high expectations for The Misadventures of Margaret Finch. Claire McGlasson had written a novel about the Panacea Society (which I am very interested in) called The Rapture and it was very good. When I saw this new novel dealt with something else I’m really interested in, the unfortunate priest Harold Davidson, I was excited.

Margaret Finch is in Blackpool as part of Mass Observation (something else that interests me, the book on ‘the pub’ is very interesting). As such, she is introduced like a secret agent, aloof from the people around her, listening in and recording. She’s a spy in the herd, not part of the things around her, hiding in a changing cubicle and taking her clothes off so she doesn’t stand out. When her spying goes wrong, she’s saved by a kindly older gent with gapped teeth who assumes she knows who he is.

He is Harold Davidson, a genuine historical figure with a fascinating story - I read it in Troublesome Priest by Jonathan Tucker. At this point in his life, he’s become a rector of Stiffkey in Norfolk but discovered a passion for working in Soho in London. There’ he’s gained the name ‘the prostitute’s padre’ and claims to have ‘saved’ 500 people. One of them took him to court though and the scandal has led to him being defrocked. In Blackpool, he plans to make a spectacle of himself, sitting in a barrel, to rise awareness of his unfair dismissal and funds for his appeal. Margaret finds herself drawn to the man and the puzzle over whether he was a naughty priest or something else.

Meanwhile, she has her own demons to face. From the outset, she is clearly the victim of much childhood repression, and this is spooled out throughout the book. It’s led to her feeling that a cold, outsider approach is the best in life and this leads to her being a very good spy for Mass Observation. However, this position of being outside everything also strengthens and emphasises this feeling of being empty. She finds herself filling this with alcohol, and later prescription opiates. At one low point in her drinking, she wets herself, stuffs her knickers in her bag and wakes up the next morning to find them still in there, clammy and cold - it’s quite the realistic comedown.

There is also hope though, in her blossoming relationship with her immediate superior in Mass Observation. James is a puppydoggish figure, his interest in people being as gleeful and involved as hers is detached. There’s is a really lovely relationship that develops.

Set in the 30s, there’s a growing unease of the war; the last gasp of end-of-the-pier shows, with a flea circus operator feeding the fleas with his own arm, and a general feeling of immediate crisis and change. Mass Observation itself seems to come from a really unpleasant place. The founder is presented as a terrible snob, who sees the working class as an alien race who need to be studied but never understood or accepted.

The characters are all believable and interesting. I particularly liked the presentation of Davidson, a victim of his own ego, no sex-pest but definitely a pest, whose strange ending is a result of his self-absorption and love of drama.

The Rapture was one of my favourite books when it came out but I enjoyed The Misadventures of Margaret Finch even more. What historical curlicue is she going to write a novel about next?

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the lovely people at Faber who sent me this gorgeous proof of The Misadventures of Margaret Finch by Claire McGlasson.

The book is set in Blackpool, 1938. Miss Margaret Finch - a rather demure young woman - has just begun work in a position that relies on her discretion and powers of observation. Then, her path is crossed by the disgraced Rector of Stiffkey (aka Harold Davidson), who is the subject of a national scandal. Margaret is determined to discover the truth behind the headlines: is Davidson a maligned hero or an exploiter of the vulnerable? But her own troubles are never far away, and Margaret's fear that history is about to repeat itself means she needs to uncover that truth urgently. This deeply evocative novel ripples with the tension of a country not yet able to countenance the devastation of another war. Margaret walks us along the promenade, peeks into the baths and even dares a trip on the love boat in this, her first seaside summer season, on a path more dangerous than she could ever have imagined.

I really enjoyed this book and I was completely immersed in Margaret’s adventures and at times I really felt part of her life and found myself ‘talking’ to Margaret to try to help her see the reality of what was happening around her. As the story unfolded, I found myself unable to put the book down and I was completely rooting for all of the characters, I particularly enjoyed Margaret’s ‘relationship’ with James, no spoilers, but I really hope, with the onset of the Second World War looming ahead of them, that they are guided in the right direction.

I highly recommend this book, I loved the historical fact / fiction in this book, finding out about the Mass Observation project of the 1930’s was a eye opener to me! I truly felt myself being transported to Blackpool in the late 1930’s and joining in with the sideshows and wonders of the era.
This is the first book that I have read by the author, but I will be adding her first novel, The Rapture to my TBR soon.

The hardback book published yesterday, 6th April, so go and buy your copy now!!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous historical fiction tale set in 1930s Blackpool, where you find Margaret Finch observing working class holiday makers and reporting her findings to the Mass Observation Project
I found it an utterly fascinating read based partly on truth, as the Mass Observation Report did actually happen in 1930!s Britain, where the upper classes spied and observed the lower working classes and actually recorded aspects of their daily lives.
I grew to love the main character Margaret - her powers of observation and how she was quiet and assuming and blended into the background
The rich descriptions and observations were true to life, my family heritage is working class north east mining pit village and their annual holiday to Blackpool was the highlight of the year - a chance to let their hair down and have fun.
When Margaret crossed paths with Harold Davidson aka Rector of Stiffkey again based on an actual factual person, we saw her character deepen and become more assertive, feeling it was her mission to investigate whether he was a victim or an exploiter.
The whole story kept you totally engrossed and you cared about the characters and what happened to them.
Loved the little dalliances with her boss James, will they won’t they, as Margaret, herself says in the book she wants a life of purpose, a talented mathematician for whom marriage offers very little opportunity to use her skills, no, it wouldn’t be fair to inflict herself on a husband
However by the end of book, with the onset of World War 2 and the new roles that Margaret and James have taken on you wonder if a relationship is possible - I do hope so - Margaret you deserve to be happy!!!!
Thank you @faber&faber @netgalley @clairemcglasson for the preview copy

[Daisy Blacklock · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.6 out of 5 stars

The Misadventures Of Margaret Finch by Claire McGlasson is a quirky read (in a good way!) packed with intrigue and a great sense of historical setting.

I was immediately drawn to the mysteriousness of this novel, but it also wasn’t too serious all the time. It had some light-hearted moments to which made it that much more enjoyable.

At first, what Margaret actually did and what her job entailed confused me a little, but I continued reading nonetheless because Margaret’s personality had me smiling from the very first chapter and I’m so glad I did. It was definitely worth it as all was slowly unravelled.

The characters are brilliantly well-written. The characters that really shone bright for me were James and Maud who I thought were great supporting characters, and of course, who couldn’t love the wonderful Margaret Finch? I loved her peculiar personality but also the way she really got hands on in ways you don’t always expect. Her troubled background also intrigued me.

I loved how it was set in Blackpool – a very different setting, in fact I’ve never read a book set in Blackpool before. I felt I could really engage in the story well. It also had a rich sense of historical setting. I loved how fact and fiction was weaved in together.

This is such a great example of a real colourful historical fiction that is so original and delicately written – it was stunning and certainly put a smile on my face!

Thank you, Faber Books and Anne (Random Things Tours), for my copy.

[Elizabeth Parkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if you slightly re-arranged timings to put the disgraced rector of Stiffkey in Blackpool in 1938 at the same time as Mass Observation was getting started? That is what Claire McGlasson has done and the result is an enjoyable narrative which sets off with considerable verve and delivers a satisfying read.

Margaret Finch is a correspondent for Mass Observation and gives us kindly descriptions of holidaymakers from Wigan, fun on the beach, sideshows, the magnificent ballroom and, of course, the spectacular tower. We also witness the growing self-realisation of Miss Finch that being an unusual woman is acceptable and can be appealing. Under the shadow of imminent war, she is a maturing in a world of strict social expectations about the role of women. She encounters risk and meets kindness, she works and finds respect.

There is much to enjoy here with a carefully built character learning by her own mistakes as well as by appreciation and love from others. There is also much to learn as the fictionally adjusted timing is bringing together historical facts in a slightly different order. Before asking people to keep diaries, Mass Observation employed correspondents, such as Margaret Finch, to observe and record the views of working people. Harold Davidson, the rector of Stiffkey grabbed huge attention in the 1930’s with his disgrace in “helping” young women. His experience is a key element in the story as Margaret Finch attempts to make her own investigations and assessment of his case.

[Carol Lindley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the late 1930s in Blackpool we are introduced to Margaret who is working as a researcher for 'The Mass Observation

Margaret is collecting data on people's opinions, thoughts and feelings. Reporting the data back to her senior James who also works for the organisation.

Whilst collecting data Margaret becomes obsessed with the Reverend Davidson of Stiffkey. Accused of improper relations with young women Margaret spends her spare time observing him in the one man stage shows he performs in.
She is intreagued to find the truth behind his guilt/innocence.
Due to Margaret's upbringing by her step mother she can come across as a little nieve and this can get her into troublesome situations she struggles to navigate.

Thanks to pigeonhole and Claire McGlasson for the opportunity to read this book.
The Misadventures Of Margaret Finch isn't the usual genre I am usually found reading.

The Mass Observation project was based on Fact As was The Reverend Harold Davidson of Stiffkey.
The fictional character Margaret Finch entwined with the true facts led to the author penning a historical masterpiece

[Vanessa Wild · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set just before WWII in Blackpool, Margaret Finch has just taken up the position as a ‘researcher’ for the ‘Mass Observation’ project. She encounters the disgraced Reverend of Stiffkey who has started a campaign trying to clear his name. Margaret is determined to get to the bottom of the situation and find out whether the claims are true or not. She discovers more than she bargain for.

This is a lovely story which I read via the Pigeonhole app. I loved Margaret and thought she was a great character. She’s a bit of an odd bod but fascinating nevertheless. The plot itself is something of a slow burner. However, I found it intriguing and interesting, leading me to eagerly turn the pages. Truth is stranger than fiction, they say, and that certainly seems to be the case with this book. It’s a mix of fact and the imagination. I enjoyed the descriptions of Blackpool, they really transport you to the time and place. I haven’t been to Blackpool myself, apart from from a trip in my parents’ car at nighttime to see the illuminations, but I could still visualise it all quite easily. An engaging and captivating read, I’m going to miss Margaret et al enormously.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is based on true events surrounding the Reverend Harold Davidson, Rector of Stiffkey, who was defrocked and subsequently mauled to his death by a lion called Freddie.

Margaret had been sent to Blackpool where her mission is to partake in a mass observation of holiday goers, their preferences, where their from etc. When she encounters the audacious Davidson, her life changes irrevocably.

Was pea-wet really a thing back in the thirties? It sounds disgusting, especially when Margaret mentioned it running down her leg.

Having seen images from back in the day, the author has captured Blackpool perfectly. Her descriptions made scenes easy to visualise and if I closed my eyes tight enough I found myself on the seaside alongside Margaret.

The characters were wonderfully flawed, fascinating and made for such an interesting read.

The Misadventures of Margaret Finch is enjoyably entertaining, engrossing and is definitely recommendable.

Many thanks to Random Things Tours for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Ben Bergonzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This enoyable novel explores the world of Mass Observation, the 1930s movement where undercover researchers reported on the public at work and play. This book is set in Blackpool where prim observer Margaret is watching the Lancashire mill workers enjoying their holidays. She runs into Harold Davidson, a disgraced clergyman, and a strange mutual fascination develops, lasting beyond the mutual misunderstanding with which it began. The book derives a lot of humour from Margaret's straight faced acceptance of the odd occurrences surrounding her. It is interesting to see the class-bound approach to his work which (in this portrayal) is adopted by Tom Harrisson, the real life anthropologist who was one of the founders of Mass Observation, along with the film maker Humphrey Jennings and the communist Charles Madge. As a novel, this is very well researched and entertaining, and the discovery that some of its main characters and incidents are based on fact is one of the most surprising things about it - avoid 'googling' these names till after you have finished reading it.

[Frances Aggarwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book . There are 3 main characters, Blackpool , fading Queen of the Northern seaside resorts , Margaret Finch , a young woman with a damaged childhood ,and a nortorious real life character called the Rector of Stiffkey.
Margaret is employed as a social researcher and is sent there to study popular opinion. The book is set just before the Second World War , when Blackpool was in its heyday .I came from one of the mill towns which closed up for "Wakes Weeks" and decamped on mass to Blackpool for their annual holidays in the 1950's.
I thought Blackpool was magical . The novel perfectly captures this magic .
I loved the character of Margaret and was rooting for her even when she hit her lowest point .The book.pulls
no punches about her problems and is no cosy nostalgia fest. I enjoying reading about the scandalous Rector .
This is a great read, you will not be able to put it down.

[Tina Dangerfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was purchased for me as a gift, so not sure it would have appealed from reading the synopsis however I must say I quite enjoyed it.
From an unfathomable start, Margaret's character slowly emerges through a series of acquaintances and unplanned events. From starting a new job doing covert observations, getting herself in a spot of bother and then being rescued by a mysterious gentleman. Margaret also describes her familial relationships and how they have shaped the person she is today. The story often feels fantastical and completely farfetched but it makes you think about how peoples reputations were built and destroyed on journalism in ages gone by as they still are in todays headlines.
The story builds to a climax and I look forward to reading what others have thought of this book. I especially enjoyed learning at the end of the book that tails like Margaret's, although embellished could well have happened.

[Kriss · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story that weaves facts with fiction, set in 30’s England, just before the war. Focuses on the journey of a young, naive woman; slightly emotionally undeveloped, who, while making an effort to escape the ‘wicked stepmother’ finds herself entertaining a narcissistic, shady rector accused of all kinds of wrongdoing but is pleading innocent. The story follows her emotional growth closely and is beautifully philosophical in parts while being emotionally literate at all times.
Since the setting is pre war, I imagine emotional literacy was not high on the agenda, neither was the notion of women’s intellectual ability and independence. These are explored sensitively and intelligently with also a flurry into addiction which adds an interesting dimension.
Thanks to @Pigeonhole and Claire McGlasson for the opportunity to read. .

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I read it on Pigeonhole and many readers mentioned it's authentic depiction of Blackpool in its hay day. The main character was Margaret who was part of the Mass Observation, something I hadn't heard about previously but was fascinated to discover. Margaret's character soars at the end despite her imposed misgivings. Rev. Harold Davidson of Stiffkey is a real person, so resist googling him if you wish to experience his true story as part of this novel.
I loved how the author wove in historical facts in a way that wasn't jarring or seeming 'researched'. Margaret had her flaws but had me rooting for her and her self realisation was beautifully executed.
A truly wonderful and sensitive novel.

[Alva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was a totally quirky read! In trying to work out what the repressed Margaret Finch was up to, I got immersed in the unusual but seemingly factual practice of Mass Observation. The title for this story sums up the main character completely. My favourite relationship here was the one with her landlady. This reader has never been to Blackpool but the area can be visualised completely through Margaret's eyes. Based on fact, the Rev Harold Davidson's story is such a strange one with an equally strange ending. Margaret's investigation into his guilt or innocence leads her down paths she'd have preferred to leave unexplored. Her relationship with James is a tender examination of possibility in the face of adversity. Poor Margaret! I thought, but then...not really.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like The Rapture, Claire McGlasson’s follow up novel takes a little known slice of history and brings it to vivid fictional life. The Blackpool of the 1930s is well imagined as are all the characters.

Harold Davidson, the Vicar of Stiffkey, was a complicated character which is reflected in the way he is depicted and McGlasson has a good stab at portraying his inner life and motivations which of course can never be truly known.

In the title character she has fashioned someone who almost becomes the kind of fallen woman that attracted Davidson and it’s through her interactions with him and her own strength of character that she begins to accept herself for who she is.

I look forward to reading the author’s next novel and seeing what she chooses as her subject for that.