I liked, but didn't love, this book. I adored the relationship between Mrs Baker and Astrid, and the depictions of their life in the windmill. I found parts of the story unbearably sad. I wanted there to be more to the big mystery at the heart of the book than there was, and I'm not sure what the letters from the previous bohemian owner of the windmill actually brought to the story. I was hoping for more of a thriller but this was very much a slow burner. Three and a half stars. With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

4.5 stars. Magnus Fellowes is writing his tell-all memoir. At least his son is overseeing it as he is on his deathbed. One of the stories he is hinting at telling is one that happened back in the 70s and concerned his ex-wife Astrid Miller. Astrid now lives in a windmill, with her housekeeper Mrs Baker, and three dachshunds. A windmill that has a chequered past with the previous owner, Lady Constance Battiscombe, who lived there in the 20s. Are you still with me? It's all a bit convoluted to be honest. But please do stick with it, the book, not my review, as it is rich in quality, and will eventually all come together. To say that Astrid is worried about the memoir and its potential revelations is an understatement and so the crux of the book concerns her endeavours to find out what Magnus is intending to tell. But outwith all that, this is a very character driven story. We are privy to the wonders of the two eccentric elderly women and their day-today lives, and that of their menagerie. I include the stuffed stoat here too! We also learn more of the Windmill's past - and yes, you can consider that to be a character too as it is integral to pretty much everything. The past, concerning Constance, is told in the form of letters, peppered throughout the narrative, adding spice and other flavouring to the whole story. And then there's the "incident" and how they must keep that secret... And if all that and the scandal wasn't enough, I also learned a lot about windmills. And that I found to be very interesting indeed. As already mentioned the mill itself is front and centre in the story and deserves to shine. And, more importantly, the inns and outs of how it all works was woven so seamlessly into the story itself that it never felt distracting. All in all a good solid read that I thoroughly recommend. A worthy addition to an already impressive back catalogue.