Synopsis:
It is a dark and stormy night at Sterne, the beloved family home of Charlotte Torrington Swift and her children, Clovis, Emerald, and Imogen, better known as Smudge. After Charlotte’s first husband, Horace, died, she quickly remarried Edward Swift, a lawyer with only one arm, whose relationship with her children has been less than affectionate. Edward is departing to Manchester on a most important mission: he must attempt to borrow enough money to safe Sterne or it will be lost.
And on this 1912 evening, preparations are underway for Emerald’s twentieth birthday dinner which is to be attended by her best friend, Patience, along with Patience’s mother. The housekeeper, Florence, along with her daughter, Myrtle, is busily preparing an elaborate dinner and birthday cake, and unbeknownst to everyone else, nine-year-old Smudge is plotting a “Great Undertaking.”
Patience arrives not with her mother, but her brother, Ernest. Soon friend of the family John Buchanan drops in unannounced bearing a birthday gift for Emerald. Before the festivities can get underway, they learn that thee has been a terrible train crash and they must provide shelter to some of the survivors until the railway can make other arrangements for them, throwing the household into confusion and squalor.
Thus begins a momentous evening during which Emerald and her family are joined by their uninvited guests, including the mysterious Charlie Traversham-Beechers whose presence causes Charlotte’s expression to be transformed “to something like horror” when she comes face-to-face with him.
Review:
The story is short on character development, but not fatally so. As the action proceeds, the various characters’ natures, to the extent necessary in order to appreciate the impact of the bizarre events that transpire, are revealed. Charlotte at first seems completely self-absorbed and vacuous, while little Smudge is left to amuse herself, largely ignored by her mother, stepfather, and older siblings. Her room is a disaster, but no one knows that she is planning an undertaking that will wreak complete havoc on more of the house than just her bedroom. Clovis is particularly at ends, appearing to have no occupation or ambition other than chiding his family members continuously, while Emerald frets about the prospect of losing the house while looking forward to seeing her dearest friend and enjoying her birthday celebration.
The plans for the evening are quickly derailed when news of the train crash reaches the house in the form of numerous dazed passengers who have nowhere else to wait out the terrible storm. They are a bedraggled bunch rescued from third class — with one notable exception — and Charlotte is determined that their presence not interrupt the birthday party, even to the point that she does not wish to provide them with either dinner or modest accoutrements to make their layover somewhat comfortable. Instead, in a scathing statement about class and societal standing, Charlotte instructs the staff to sequester them in the morning room, even begrudging the coal used to stoke the fire so that they can stay warm. After all, “[s]he had built her life so that she might avoid third-class carriages and she wasn’t going to wring her hands over those who made use of them now.” What happens to Charlotte later is indeed poetic justice, considering her behavior which shocks and horrifies the empathetic and compassionate Emerald.
With the arrival of Charlie Traversham-Beechers, a man with whom Charlotte, but no one else, is acquainted, the story segues from outrageous to truly bizarre and inexplicable, but decidedly more interesting and entertaining. As Smudge executes her “Great Undertaking,” the evening wears on and the combination of Jones’ inventive calamities, revelations about the characters’ pasts and relationships with each other, and some fanciful plot elements cause the book’s pace to rapidly accelerate to a satisfying conclusion. By the time the storm passes, everyone and everything at Sterne has been transformed — for the better. Walls have been broken down — literally and figuratively — and new alliances formed, while an old enemy has been faced and robbed of its power to destroy. Ultimately, the story is a clever social commentary, an allegory about Britain at a pivotal time in its history when it stood on the brink of change and, like the characters in The Uninvited Guests had no choice but to react and adapt in order to survive. With a richly descriptive narrative, The Uninvited Guests is clever, intricately plotted and constructed, and highly memorable.
28 Comments
I’m intrigued! I love that it combines mystery and slapstick. And I love the era. That’s why I’d love to win
I want to read ‘Uninvited Guests’ because I love historical fiction, and the mix of a slightly paranormal and satirical story sounds like an interesting mix.
I love books set in that era. It just sounds like a good book!
I love just about any book that includes humor. 🙂 Sounds like a fun read.
This sounds so different than anything i have read before. I love Downton Abbey and anything like it so I’m excited to read this!
I love old fashioned novels with a funny side.
I know someone named Ed Swift and thought this would be funny to read while thinking of the real Ed Swift.
I enjoy both mystery and paranormal. The
Twilight Zone was one of my favorite shows!
I love stories set in Britain and this sounds like an old movie on top of that. My cup of tea!
This novel sounds fascinating and enjoyable. This era is always interesting.
A wonderful British book which sounds captivating and special.
I like the paranormal aspect. I have started reading more of these types of stories lately.
They had me hooked at “Downton Abbey meets the Twilight Zone” mystery. That sounds so deliciously like the next epic read. I can’t wait to read it! Thanks for the chance to win it!! 🙂
DeAnna Schultz
It sounds really good and I love books that have paranormal and mystery.
I featured this in A Book Worth Waiting For and Shelf Candy if that is any indication of how much I am looking forward to reading this book. Unfortunately, I have not carved out the time, but I have a copy ready and waiting.
This book sounds so interesting – like nothing I’ve read before! I’m curious to see how the author blends slapstick comedy with mystery and paranormal. Thanks for the giveaway!
Great review! You have a fabulous blog! I’m an author and illustrator and I made some awards to give to fellow bloggers whose sites I enjoy. I want to award you with the Best Books Blog Award. There are no pass along requirements. This is just to reward you for all the hard work you do! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review all these books for us authors and readers.
Go to http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/p/awards.html and pick up your award.
~Deirdra
P.S. Since you are an avid reader I was wondering if I could interview you and get your insights into the books you enjoy. Send me an email: KnightessHope (at) gmail and I will send over the interview questions
Thank you so much for the award! I’ve added the badge to the sidebar.
As a mystery lover it sounds right up my alley. And with an opening like
“It’s a dark & stormy night” you know it’s going to be scary to boot.
It sounds like a book with an interesting cast of characters.
I love to read books that take place in the past.
i love reading about this time period so it sounds so good to me!
Pingback: Sadie Jones, author of The Uninvited Guests, on tour May 2012 | TLC Book Tours
“Highly memorable” is a great description of this one! Thanks for being on the tour.
Because I think the characters will be very interesting. Love to read about the uninvited guests.
I like the premise of strangers thrown into the mix of family shenanigans and stuck together because of a storm.Sounds like an interesting read.
What an interesting description. I liked Downton Abbey and Twilight Zone but I can’t imagine them combined.
I like humor in my books.