Let's call this one 3.5 stars so I rounded up. I thought that it was a bit slow (especially in the beginning) and a boring plot that plodded along but I kept finding that I wasn't able to stop listening to it. By the end of the story it picks up enough speed that if you stuck though it that far you are rewarded with a satisfying ending. This story reminded me of a Maeve Binchy book that moved a little slow and I love Maeve Binchy so that's all I can use to explain why I loved and was bored by the book at the same time.

The only thing I took exception to was the several mentions of using steel shot in the cherished "Churchill" shotguns. The guns are, at best, from the 1950's and probably more like the 1940's when all the ammo was lead shot. Steel would ruin the barrels and the Major would certainly know this. He would be using bismuth or similar non-toxic soft metal for the ammunition. It's a minor quibble and unimportant to the overall story but it was out of character for someone who knows the difference.

I also got tired of the anti-American comments and the ugly-American stereotypes portrayed. Do the older English really think of us that way? I hope they realize that not all 300 million of us are like that.

Despite these reservations I recommend this book to anyone who likes to watch Masterpiece Theater on PBS or who enjoyed "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel".