Small Pleasures in 2021 introduced a wider audience to the writing of Clare Chambers and following this brilliant novel her new book Shy Creatures should most certainly have the same success Similarly this story predominantly focuses on the post war decades 1940s-1960s. This is a cleverly woven plot and follows the life of Helen Hansford - a single art teacher working within a psychiatric hospital - who is having an affair with a 'charismatic ' doctor/therapist who happens to be married to a second cousin. The novel focuses upon Helen's choices and how she questions herself to live her life in the way she truly wants especially against the growing backdrop of the emancipation of post war women in England. The premise is set for what seems a romantic novel focussed upon Helen - her family and relationships and life within the institute but the story takes an intriguing turn when two new patients are submitted to the hospital - one is the mysterious William Tapping who has been found living inside a house for over two decades - never having been allowed to join the 'outside world; the other patient is Helen's teenage niece Lorraine who appears to be behaving 'oddly' at home. The story of William who has lived enclosed in the home of three aunts is told in a series of reverse chronological incidents - why is William 'trapped' and what led to this when he just entering his teens? The story of William is gradually explored and exposed by Helen whilst she also tries to ensure her niece is subjected to medicinal treatments that could have a longer harmful impact. The story of William is beautifully told and is heartbreaking in many ways- a single event transforming the life of a child. The story moves at a good pace and the characters of Helen and William are truly engaging Clare Chambers captures period details, suppressed English emotions and the interaction within families and work communities just perfectly. This is a moving story of caring, love ,finding identity and being allowed to be your true self and sensitively explores the frailties within people. Highly recommended - another winner

Shy Creatures is a very well-written and moving story based on a real news item. I loved the dual timelines and the well-drawn characters. The book raises some complex issues. A beautifully-written and thought-provoking novel. Outstanding.

Croydon, 1964. Helen Hansford is in her thirties, her occupation is art therapist in a psychiatric hospital which gives her life more meaning than she thought would ever be possible, as she helps those channel their feelings be it frustration, anxiety, grief, anger, or depression, into something creative and enjoyable, and it is also where she first met and started having a long love affair with Gil who is charismatic, has dry humour that she cannot help but love, is rather handsome, can hold a conversation, and is married but this does not stop her from leaning on him to help make sense of the world she lives in. One sunny spring afternoon a call is received regarding a disturbance from a house seemingly abandoned and incredibly derelict which just so happens to be not far from where Helen lives, and upon their arrival they discover a mute, thirty-seven-year-old man called William who boasts a shabby appearance and an impressive beard down to his waste, who has been living with his elderly aunt for many years under society’s radar, and upon taking them both to the hospital, it becomes apparent that William is a talented artist and Helen is determined to uncover his past. However, it will not be an easy task especially when Helen learns that her affections for Gil seem to stretch out of bounds when he starts to care for another newly enrolled patient and she must master her emotions as she learns more about William, and herself. This life-affirming novel highlights the importance of compassion, empathy, and connecting with not just others, but also yourself. A triumph!

Shy Creatures by Clare Chambers is the kind of novel that feels like slipping into a beloved armchair: warm, familiar, and utterly absorbing. Yet beneath its comforting surface, this story deftly explores the shadows that linger in human lives, making it both life-affirming and quietly devastating. Set against the evocative backdrop of 1960s Britain, the novel unravels the mystery of William Tapping, a man hidden from the world for decades, and Helen Hansford, the compassionate art therapist determined to piece his fractured life together. Chambers' ability to craft characters with such astonishing depth is unparalleled. Helen is flawed yet fiercely empathetic, William is both fragile and unknowably complex, and even Gil, the roguish psychiatrist, is given moments of humanity amid his moral failings. The prose is quintessentially British—elegant, understated, and enriched with period details that transport you effortlessly to a world of post-war uncertainty and social change. Chambers’ exploration of mental health, child abuse, and societal prejudice is unflinching but never heavy-handed. She lets these themes seep into the story naturally, inviting readers to confront them without feeling overwhelmed. And the twists! They come like soft ripples on the surface of a still pond, each one deepening the narrative's emotional resonance. This novel is a warm cup of hot chocolate on a frosty evening, layered with the bitterness of reality but sweetened by hope and redemption. I absolutely loved it—5/5 without hesitation. Shy Creatures is proof that Clare Chambers is a master of her craft, and it left me with a full heart and the unshakable urge to recommend it to everyone I know. If you liked 'The List of Suspicious Things', it has somewhat a simillar vibe

I’ve both been longing for and dreading the new Clare Chambers book.  She’s given herself so much to live up to with Small Pleasures which is one of my favourite books of the past few years.  It’s a huge relief therefore that this easily matches (and possibly even surpasses) the brilliance of the earlier book.  Clare Chambers knows what she does well: she finds her interest piqued by an old newspaper clipping and builds her own story on it.  Just like Jean in Small Pleasures our heroine is a sensible, slightly thwarted but redoubtable middle-aged woman in an unlovely part of the 1960s London suburbs (here it is Croydon). Just as in Small Pleasures there’s a lot of nostalgia reading about cocoa and biscuits, cricket matches and childhood pleasures splashing about in streams, at the same time as a wake-up call about the dangers of repressed emotions, stiff upper lips and enforced innocence.  The schoolboy William, and his eccentric aunts are incredibly endearing, and this book has the same emphasis as the earlier one on decency, female friendships and compassion. This book manages to be cosy but, make no mistake, it’s also incredibly sad and dark and full of longing.  I don’t think I could love Clare Chambers more.  I’ve read some great books this year but this is top of the list for me.