It took a few chapters to really get into this book. At the start I found it baffling and couldn't quite understand what it was about.
But then I became intrigued by the story and where it was leading. You have to remember that it takes place in a very different era, just before World War I I.
It is actually quite a fascinating tale, especially when you realise that it is actually based on something that really did happen.
I would certainly read more books by Claire McGlasson.

Margaret Finch is a woman of her time but she is also a woman that we can all recognise. I loved the sense of time and place in this story of Margaret in Blackpool in 1939 working for the Mass Observation Project. The real story of the rector of Stiffkey is weaved in as Margaret goes through an awakening as she follows and makes notes on holiday makers enjoying the pleasures of Blackpool. A really quirky and unusual story of a woman finding her place in life.

Blackpool. 1938

Margaret Finch is a clever but unremarkable young woman which is perfect for the job she is currently doing as it relies on her powers of observation without drawing attention to herself. One assignment leads to a tricky situation and a surprise but welcome rescue. Her path has crossed that of the disgraced and defrocked former Rector of Stiffkey (Norfolk), Harold Davidson, whose church trial has hit the headlines in a big way. Is he a victim of a campaign against him or as the church maintains an exploiter of those that are vulnerable? Davidson is in Blackpool seeking support and understanding of his plight. Margaret is determined to investigate and try to get to the truth but her own many issues and troubles may be her undoing.

This is a really different and colourful historical fiction and although Margaret herself is fictional, much here is grounded in fact such as the Davidson case and the research Margaret is engaged in for the ‘Mass Observation’ project. Margaret is complex, she’s self conscious, misunderstood and misjudged especially within her own family where adverse judgement is inevitably swift to follow. She is immensely likeable despite her awkwardness and the effect the Davidson case has on her. Her character fits with the context of the times and the position of women. Harold Davidson is an intriguing conundrum and his case is that of historical fact being stranger than fiction. It’s well worth reading up about him! It’s certainly a colourful tale!

The book is steeped in atmosphere, Blackpool with its many attractions comes alive as mill workers pour in for wakes weeks to let their hair down on The Golden Mile, the Pleasure Beach or the world famous Tower Ballroom. Margaret observes all as these holiday makers relax and have fun and through this Margaret comes to many a realisation about herself and the wrongness of what she’s doing. Descriptions here are rich, lively and you can easily picture them as the as the author captures the people as they wander from entertainment to entertainment. It’s gleeful, lurid, a bit vulgar but great fun. In the background but increasingly in awareness is the spectre of war and the growing realisation that this is inevitable.

Overall, I really enjoy this well written novel which transports you to the coast where you meet intriguing characters and in the case of Margaret, she shakes off the past and discovers exactly who she is. Recommended if you want to read some well researched HF that’s a bit different from the norm.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Faber and Faber for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

It’s always great to find a new non-run of the mill story and this is one of those books, a quirky heroine, and unusual setting and tale

A very strange , odd book that I wasn't sure initially if I was going to like it. The author's note at the beginning was very helpful. I hadn't realised that she has also written The Rapture which I also thought was a bit odd.
A coming together of fact and fiction set in pre second world war Britain I thought it was cleverly constructed and well written. Margaret is a great character who I warmed to from the start. The interweaving of her story and Harold's worked very well. The beliefs of the late 1930s came through clearly and I could hear my MIL saying the same things especially about the "right end" of the Northern pier which did make me smile.
Overall I thought this was a fascinating read and very enjoyable. Odd certainly but then that is no bad thing in these days of heavily stereotyped characters and well worn plots. I did enjoy it. I enjoyed its difference. I enjoyed it's uniqueness
I would certainly read this author again