Those who know and like the Barsetshire novels produced by Angela Thirkell in the middle decade of the last century will know of the semi mystical character of Sir Robert Graham, so often mentioned but rarely if ever seen in the environs of Holdings, his family home. It is his wife, Lady Graham, whose habit is to refer all difficult questions that arise in local or family matters to her husband at least in conversation, who speaks of his good judgement and abilities. In this later novel, first published in 1955, his retirement and permanent return to his home is much looked forward to, especially by those promise to benefit from his presence, such as a vicar in search of a new churchwarden. Called “A novel without a Hero” the usual range of social gatherings take place as people linked by sometimes tenuous family connections meet, making and reviving friendships, having conversations, remembering old friends and some enemies. Edith, the youngest Graham child, is now a young woman who is innocent of her endearing ways, almost waiting for life to begin, and it is her story which features here. While this series does not have to be read in strict order, there are many references to those who were the main characters in earlier novels, which may temporarily confuse, but it is well not to dwell on the complicated connections between and amongst families, as even firm fans of the series sometimes struggle to reconcile names, ages, and dates among the numerous characters which feature in this book as well as the twenty three books which proceed it; apparently even the author was known to become a little confused as to exactly which character had actually married whom. Like the other books, it is well to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of postwar rural life, where generally well meaning people meet, acknowledge attractions, swop mild gossip and get married. The later novels such as this one share a certain postwar weariness with shortages and memories of war , poor or non existent summers, and memories of some of those no longer present. They are perhaps not as tightly written as those written and published during the Second World War,which were written in a moment when the outcome of the conflict was still far from certain, where some men were absent and in danger, where some of those in Barsetshire never returned. In this book the younger men are sometimes finding hard to settle back into civilian life, with uncertainty of what they want from their future. Not that this book is miserable, as it features Edith’s moments of grown up behaviour, conversations in which the sometimes infuriating but always charming Lady Graham gets distracted, and the general background of agricultural and social life is lovingly described. Place names based on puns still abound, misheard and misunderstood sentences hang in the air, and one of my favourite characters, Mrs Morland, writer of novels, complains that her “typewriter has its own ideas about spelling”. This novel is not one that has been reprinted by Vigaro in their modern Classics series, and is perhaps therefore a little more difficult to obtain. Those readers who enjoy (along with many of the gentlemen in the book) Lady Graham’s vague appeal will find her at her best in this book, as she exercises her considerable charm on her daughter’s behalf. I enjoyed this episode which ties up a lot of loose ends and spends a lot of time in gentle observation and humour. Perhaps it is not the place to begin a long term acquaintance with Thirkell’s books, but there is much to enjoy in this book, with or without Sir Robert’s promised presence.