Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

Belinda Bauer has written that rare thing, something different in crime and thriller, with a bit of historical thrown in!

"The Impossible Thing" is a captivating novel that spans a century, beginning in 1926 on the cliffs of Yorkshire. Men are lowered on ropes to steal the eggs of seabirds, which are sold for large sums. A young girl named Celie Sheppard finds a rare scarlet egg, altering the course of her life. A century later, Patrick Fort and his friend Nick discover the world of egg trafficking while trying to retrieve a stolen egg. The novel weaves together themes of obsession, greed, and ambition

Celie Sheppard is both young, neglected and small for her age. For her stealing the eggs is a means to be able to eat omelette! Her mother has become a single parent with a farm to run, too many children and the main man about the house is an almost entirely silent boy called Robert, who takes charge of Celie and she follows him round like a chick to a mother hen. The historical setting was vividly described, making it easy to visualise the harsh conditions of the time. The plot was well-paced, with plenty of twists and turns to keep me engaged.

In the modern day, Patrick was a completely likeable character who gets involved when his friend, Nick, and Nick’s mother is robbed and it becomes clear it’s a bird egg that was the target of the robbery - Nick has found it amongst his late fathers old possessions in the attic and tried to sell it on eBay. Patrick is clearly clever but lacking social skills, and clearly on the spectrum, he’s very literal and has to remember that he needs to try not to be so literal! But his friend depends on him completely, until Patrick finds exactly how to get hi to rise to the challenge - a nice touch in this tale.

Some parts of the novel felt a bit slow, especially during the transitions between the historical and modern-day timelines. I really wasn’t sure about the egg stealing as a theme, it wasn’t something that interested me but the description of the guillemots losing their egg, their distress at finding it gone and their return year in year only for the same thing to happen, was truly heart breaking and you become invested in the story.

I’m generally a fan of. Belinda Bauer’s books and here she masterfully blends historical and modern-day narratives, using the rare scarlet egg as a symbol of hope and transformation. The novel's exploration of human greed and the lengths people will go to achieve their desires is thought-provokingand disturbing. The detailed descriptions of the Yorkshire cliffs and the egg-stealing operations add depth to the story and the obsession of the collector throughout the book is enlightening.

I highly recommend "The Impossible Thing" to fans of contemporary and historical crime fiction and mystery thrillers. It's a compelling read for those who enjoy intricate plots and well-developed characters.

Belinda Bauer's novels are absolute gems being humorous, touching and approachable like an old friend. Her super powers extend to crafting characters the reader wants to know and care about. In The Impossible Thing we catch up with Patrick from Rubbernecker. What a joyous blast from the past! It's terrific to see him embroiled in a new adventure with his friend Weird Nick.

In this novel Nick is clearing out the attic looking for things that might earn him some extra dosh. He discovers a red egg and promptly puts it up for sale on ebay. Everything goes pear shaped from there. In parallel a story set in 1926 Yorkshire introduces us to climmers destroying and collecting eggs from perilous coastal ledges. The separate stories dovetail, in time, but each are fully fleshed out and fascinating as they unfurl independently.

Patrick and Nick tag team in classic comedic fashion bringing heart to this yarn. Patrick has Asperger’s but is very much the brains in his genius, unique way whilst Nick brings a less cerebral, more gung-ho, action to their quest. The Impossible Thing is simply fun and easy to slip into. It has sweet heft without feeling terribly heavy. It's just right, pitch perfect, and just what I needed when I read it. Joyous, as ever, it has it all. I loved it.

Lots of characters and two very different timelines could have made this book more complicated than I like but it really didn’t. Any effort in remembering who was who and where they fitted into the story was easily justified in this fascinating and well researched tale.
I wasn’t aware I had any interest in sea-birds lives but found the paragraphs covering the facts about them had me totally gripped. I couldn’t help reading passages out to my husband and then searching for images or more information on the internet.
Loved the book and have already passed the title on to my book group buddies and can’t wait to have a discussion with them about it.

Whilst it may be easy to be caught up in the distasteful activity of egg collecting this story gives so much more. It is a gripping story set over two time periods with a cast of characters that you can believe in. The description of place is good and the pace of this novel is very good making it a read which is both thoughtful and pacy in turn.

Would recommend to anyone who enjoys gripping reading.

Little Celie Sheppard is a small, hungry child but when she discovers an unusual red guillemot egg on the cliffs behind her family farm her family is set for life. Mr Ambler is an egg broker, selling to the most powerful collectors and the famed Metland Egg is sought after. Patrick is a strange boy who only friend, Weird Nick, has just had a precious heirloom stolen from him. The obsession for egg-collecting draws together the past and present.
This is a wonderful book which works on so many levels. It a modern day crime novel involving a cast of characters that are beautifully and sparingly drawn. It's also a historical novel about the exploitation of the poor and the stretching of morals in poverty-stricken East Yorkshire between the wars. However most of all it is a book about obsession and it's a spot on in terms of underplaying yet emphasising the lengths that people will go to to fulfil their obsessions

This is the third Belinda Bauer book I’ve read. As ever, I liked the writing, the pacing, and the twists and turns in the story. Only reason for three stars was the subject matter which I was unfamiliar with and not particularly interested in. I will read whatever her next book is.

I really must read more books by Bauer. Having absolutely loved ‘Exit’, I was over the moon to be offered an early e-copy of The Impossible Thing.

A gripping first chapter had me eagerly turning the pages to find more about the fascination of collecting birds eggs, which is illegal now. The obsession to find the most rare eggs and the prices they could reach is mind blowing.

The novel easily goes back and forth between the present and the time leading up to and during the second world war, when collecting birds eggs was a lucrative but dangerous task for those prepared to hang from the cliffs and rob the birds of their precious babies.

Don’t let the subject put you off this brilliantly written book. The characters are so well developed and I especially loved Celie who, with the help of her friend Robert, accidentally found what would become to be known as the Metland Egg off the dangerous overhang of the cliffs of Bempton in Yorkshire. A cliff where even experienced climmers would not risk their lives to visit, but which would change hers and her family’s lives. I also loved neurodiverse Patrick and the relationship he had with his friend which is a huge part of the story. They are chalk and cheese but get on well together.

I was so interested in this topic I did some research and found the Metland Eggs are real. Belinda came up with this fascinating story when years ago, she was driving in her car listening to the radio when a news story came on about this real life mystery

There is so much to enjoy in this book and a fair amount of dry humour too which did not go unnoticed! Also some sadness, a lot of plotting and an overall sense of everything being nicely tied up as the story ends.

And that ending. As I was reading, I had in my mind what I thought would be the perfect ending for the story and it ended exactly as I had hoped! I’m so happy!

Thank you so much to the publishers for my early copy.

You never know what you’re going to get from a Belinda Bauer novel. You know it will be deep and rich in terms of characterisation and that the story telling will be creative and compelling, but Bauer is a writer who can weave magic into any subject. In The Impossible Thing, that subject is the old pastime of egg collecting, from a time when such a thing was permissible and legal.

Set in two time periods, in 1926 our protagonist is Celie Sheppard and in 2023, it is a welcome return for Patrick Fort, first seen in Rubberneckers when he was a medical student. Celie is the youngest child of Enid Sheppard, whose husband left her when Celie was born, leaving Enid with two other children and a farm to work. Celie was a pale child, and scrawny; nothing like her siblings and that was why her father left home.

Enid never forgave Celie, and from birth she was palmed off to the mentally slow but sturdy farm hand, Robert, who at least made sure she was safe when she went to work with him. Celie was left to fend for herself in terms of food and was permanently hungry.

That’s why, when walking the Bridlington cliffs one day with Robert, she was surprised to see grown men being lowered on ropes down the side of the cliff, in search of birds’ eggs. Bauer’s descriptions of the ‘climmers’ are spectacular, missing nothing, not even the reaction of the parent guillemots whose potential young are being stolen. These are the men who risk their lives for eggs to sell to collectors. The place where the best eggs are found must be kept secret, for the same birds will return to the same places year after year.

There’s a thriving market in guillemot eggs, and egg brokers to go with that market; men who act as the middlemen between the climbers and the collectors, brokering a hefty percentage for hanging around the cliffs, prepared to make an offer for any good-sized egg with a smooth face and a good colour.

Guillemot eggs are more variable in colour and pattern than those of any other bird. Egg collectors particularly favoured sets of unusually coloured eggs laid by the same bird. Red guillemots’ eggs were extremely rare and eagerly sought after.

Celie knows nothing of this, but she does know that with eggs you can have an omelette, and she can see a place where only she would be small enough to clamber down and select eggs that no-one bigger could reach. She manages to retrieve an incredibly rare egg from a nest below the Metland overhang. The Metland egg, highly prized and much coveted, becomes a legendary object.

Patrick Fort has Asperger’s syndrome, and lives with his mum in the Brecon Beacons. His best friend is his neighbour, Weird Nick. Weird Nick is saving up for a gaming chair and to boost his income he is selling off a load of stuff from his attic on eBay. When Weird Nick is burgled and his mum’s house ransacked, they realise that the only thing missing is a red egg in a beautifully carved box.

Patrick, who has a brilliantly logical brain, works out what must have happened and devises a plan to retrieve both the egg and its box. This leads them straight into danger, as well as giving us an insight into the range of people who have an interest in oology (egg collecting) from thieves to nature and wildlife lovers to those more dangerous.

Bauer’s strength is in her beautiful characterisation. Most of her characters are outsiders; people who don’t fit in to the norm, but they have brains and wit and nimbleness and they will triumph or die trying.

Based on a true story, this dual timeline plot is easy to follow and has some of the best characters I’ve read in a while. It’s easy to see how little has changed in the world of obsessive collectors. People who will go to extraordinary lengths to own something no-one else has are prepared to lie, cheat and even murder for their own addictive immoral, obsessions.

As Patrick and Weird Nick follow the tracks of their thief, the pace hots up and the tension mounts. All for an egg! But it is Celie who will steal a corner of your heart. Celie’s story is one of unquestioning trust, of loyalty and of those who would take advantage of her.

Verdict: While this book has its share of darkness, part of Belinda Bauer’s excellent writing is the way that she can weave humour and compassion into her plot. This is a mystery with obsession at its heart. It made me weep and I also laughed out loud. Bauer has produced a beautifully crafted plot with many convincing twists and turns and some of the best characters in literature. Eggciting and highly recommended.

This is a book that gives the sense that seabirds also have emotional ties to their cliff top homes, their partners and experience joy and anticipation of rearing chicks.
Told via two timelines, 1926 onwards and present day, and based in Yorkshire, we are firstly introduced to Celie Sheppard, a young girl, almost a cuckoo in the nest herself, her looks are totally unalike those of her parents and siblings, everything that goes bad for that family is her fault. Her father leaves the family and the hired help also go. They live at Metland Farm, a very poor piece of farmland, which requires much work for very poor returns, but when Celie is literally roped in to gather the eggs of seabirds to sell them to collectors and she finds a very unique egg, it fetches enough money to make the daily grind more bearable.
In the present day, Patrick Fort and his best friend Weird Nick, work together to find out who has robbed Nick of his prized possession, a carved wooden display case that contained a rare red egg. Nick and Patrick make for a very keen investigative team. Patrick is on the higher functioning autistic spectrum and Nick is crazy, and easily distracted, but their joint endeavours made me laugh.
The story moves between the two timelines, from an era where egg collecting was an acceptable and expensive hobby, , to the modern viewpoint of it being illegal but a still undertaken event, and now prosecuted by the courts and the RSPB.
This is a story of obsession and greed, the historical detail is fascinating. I have learnt so much about guillemots and egg collecting, although some details are extremely distressing. The ending was original and did beg the question, was such a waste ever going to be justified morally or ethically?
I liked all the main characters, they made an impact upon the story, which is beautiful, charged with emotions and repulsion, and it was interesting when a pregnant Celie realises the harm she may have done towards the birds when she deprived them of their eggs.
This story gripped my attention from the start, extremely informative and eye opening. I didn’t expect a book about birds and egg collecting to be so emotional, it made me feel so angry. An unusual book, but I highly recommend it. My local book group and library will be getting this message also.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Penguin Random House for my ARC, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I gave this five stars. I have left reviews to Goodreads and Amazon UK.

I've never knew Eggs could be so fascinating. An absolutely brilliant book. It's full of Skulduggery, danger, odd, quirky characters who you just fall in love with. One of the best books I've ever read. LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

We start in the past, with men being lowered down the cliffs of the Yorkshire coast to steal eggs from seabirds' nests. Some of them are unique and beautiful and, when blown, fetch a pretty penny from collectors, making the perilous practice well worth it. There is an area which is tricky but, as they find out, easily accessible for a skinny young girl, Celie, assisted by her brother. They come from a very poor background, and think the money to be worth the risk. Their endeavours pay off handsomely when they chance upon a very rare coloured egg...
Meanwhile, back in the present, and we follow Patrick and his neighbour Nick. Just before we meet Nick and his mother, they have been robbed and tied up. But it appears on closer look that the robbery was targeted, as the only thing missing is a scarlet egg in an ornate box. One that Nick had been trying to sell online. One that Nick is determined to get back, aided by Patrick.
I have to say that I learned quite a lot about eggs and climming whilst reading this book. And I also have to say how fascinating I found it. We have all seen, either in museums or on the telly, drawers full of eggs of different colours and sizes and this book explains how some of them were collected. A practice, I'm happy to say, is illegal these days.
As well as that, we have a cracking (see what I did there) dual narrative set 100 years apart, following the scarlet eggs. They are both equally fascinating and as they progressed, they start to come together until the whole picture is uncovered.
The characters are, as expected from this author, top notch. Especially Patrick who is neuro-divergent and portrayed brilliantly. I loved his friendship with Nick, who is himself a bit quirky!
Celie's story back in the past is also a bit heartbreaking but I will leave you to discover that yourself.
All in all, a worthy addition to an already impressive back catalogue, most of which I have also read and enjoyed. I do wonder what she has in story for me for next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

“Anticipation had warmed them.”

I have been extremely hot myself waiting for this book. So long since this talented and accomplished author brought out a new title. Not long now, Happy Publication Day for 27th February 2025.

Imagine that feeling when you step into those familiar and cosy slippers. This new novel goes beyond that pleasure. Making new emotional connections. It is more like bursting from a phone box, dressed up for World Book Day as your favourite superhero. Belinda Bauer novels have the power to embrace, entertain and enable you to overcome, forgetting the mundane and the trials of a careworn day. How I have missed her insightful writing, that smart turn of phrase, gentle humour and natural drama. I know of very few of her peers who spin such memorable characters or capture the moments of childhood so well.

I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I am grateful to Jennifer Porter, Senior Brand Manager, Transworld and NetGalley for making that possible.

It was a magical idea to include Weird Nick, Meg and Patrick in this mystery and unfolding drama.
No-one can have failed to read Rubbernecker surely.
Fans of that brilliant and award winning novel will be delighted to pick up the story of Patrick Fort.

But this is more than just a vehicle to continue his narrative. This is an original and refreshing piece of creative writing; deep on relationships, the struggles of life and making the most of the hand you have been dealt. All against a backdrop of greed, the psychological need of collectors of eggs (“it tends to be men”), and the lengths they go to own the impossible thing.

I loved the locations around Flamborough and Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons. Areas I have walked and hiked myself but brilliantly brought alive in elegant prose, animated birds and moody dramatic grandeur.

But it is the conversations and nuances of the characters that make reading such a book an absolute joy. From the misplaced child found by inquisitive sheep to that growing girl seeing herself for the first time in a full length mirror. These are the brushstrokes of a skilful artist, the melodies and chords of a maestro and evidence that Belinda Bauer is once more on top of her game.

In 1926 6 year old Celie Sheppard gets an impossible egg from an impossible to reach part of a cliff face and this action changes the fortunes of her family.
In the present Patrick is cycling home and notices that something is wrong at this neighbours house. When he investigates, they have been subject to a robbery and tied up, an egg in a display box has been stolen and his friend and neighbour weird Nick is furious as he was going to sell it to raise funs for his new gaming chair. They decide to try and track it down.
Both stories run parallel and the reader sees the changes to Celie's life and of her family.
We see Patrick and Nick working out who is the bad guy and putting their plan into action.
It started slowly but built nicely to the end.

I have enjoyed Belinda Bauer novels since reading the excellent ‘Rubbernecker’ and wait eagerly for every book she writes. If only she was more prolific, her previous novel was four years ago but ‘The Impossible Thing‘ was well worth waiting for. This is a novel that blends historical intrigue with contemporary crime and told in Belinda Bauer’s excellent writing style. A story that begins in the cliffs of Yorkshire in 1926 and moves on to the countryside in present day Wales.

In 1926, a young uncared for girl stumbles upon a rare, beautiful egg that changes her life. Moving on to present day Patrick Fort discovers his friend and his friend’s mother tied up and burgled. The only thing missing is a carved case containing a rare scarlet egg. Patrick and his friend Nick delve into the mystery and discover a hidden world of egg collecting, trafficking, and a long-lost treasure that may finally be within reach.

This novel in well written in the authors familiar style, full of suspense and touches of humour. The two timelines are seamlessly interwoven and both have unexpected twists that keep you guessing. The plot is well thought out and the characters are excellent. I hope we don’t have to wait so long for the next story.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Transworld Publishers for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Another excellent read by one of my favourite authors!
*The Impossible Thing* is a gripping mystery alternating between two timelines: the first in 1926, where Celie gathers seabirds' eggs at Bempton Cliffs, on the Yorkshire coast and the present day, where Weird Nick and his mother have one stolen from their cottage in Wales (I had previously “met” Patrick, and Weird Nick when I read*Rubbernecker” last year).

As Patrick and Weird Nick investigate the theft of the carved case containing the scarlet egg. Their journey uncovers secrets of egg smuggling, greed, and rare treasures.

*The Impossible Thing* is a fascinating mix of history, mystery, and adventure. A must-read for fans of historical fiction and crime thrillers.

The Impossible Thing is a wonderfully enjoyable story about birds' eggs and their collectors.

In the 1920's a young girl perilously dangles off the cliff near her Yorkshire home to retrieve a rare guillemot egg. In the 2020's, Patrick Fort and his friend Weird Nick go on an adventure to retrieve a stolen egg, possibly being pursued by the RSPB.

An exciting thrill of a story about a subject I didn't know I was interested in, devoured in less than 24 hours. Marvellous!

In this book, we are reminded of the time egg trafficking took place on the Yorkshire cliffs in the 1920s. Men had to be lowered by rope over the edge of the cliff to gather the eggs. Rival egg collectors would try and buy the eggs, then sell them to wealthy collectors. But it is a little girl who has retrieved the most desired egg. Celia Sheppard lives at Metland Farm with her family, but she's the black sheep, her mother blames her for everything that goes wrong. Her father had left them to fen for themselves.

This is another enjoyable red by Belinda Bauer. The characters are relatable, the pace is steady in this well-written book. It covers the illicit and illegal trade of collecting birds eggs. The eggs can be quite an expensive purchase for the rich. The story cover two timelines that are almost one hundred years apart. We do meet up with Patrick Fort, he was in Rubberneckers. What we do learn is that no matter how insignificant something looks, it can have a considerable outcome.

Published 27th February 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #RandomHouseUK #TransworldPublishers and the author #BelindaBauer for my ARC of #TheImpossibleThing in exchange for an honest review.
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I am a huge fan of Belinda Bauer, the acclaimed author known for her gripping crime novels and her latest novel The Impossible Thing is once again truly captivating.
This novel has a compelling plot and original characters. The story alternates between two timelines: in 1926, where people (climmers) collect valuable bird eggs by hanging from dangerous cliffs in Yorkshire, and the present day, where Nick and his mother are robbed at their remote cottage in Wales. Nick and his friend Patrick strive to uncover the culprit behind the break-in.
Belinda Bauer excels in creating multidimensional characters, and "The Impossible Thing" is no exception. The Patrick character (present day) for me was full of depth and I loved his quirkiness. I think Bauer writes children particularly well.
The authors writing style is engaging, drawing readers into the story with vivid descriptions and a keen eye for detail. The pacing of "The Impossible Thing" is well-balanced, with moments of suspense interspersed with quieter, introspective scenes that allow for character development.
For me one of the novel's strengths is Bauer's skilful use of dialogue. The conversations between Nick and Patrick feel authentic, revealing their personalities and motivations while advancing the plot. Additionally, Bauer's dark humour provides a welcome contrast to the novel's more sombre moments.
"The Impossible Thing" by Belinda Bauer is a unique and thought-provoking read which showcases the author's talent for crafting compelling characters and intricate plots.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer is a wonderfully unique and imaginative novel that sets this author apart from all others. Her cunning plot spans a one hundred year period and is remarkably satisfying.

The characters in The Impossible Thing are both dastardly and innocent, cunningly two-faced but extremely upfront. Patrick and Weird Nick make a great detective team as they try to track down the guys who stole Nick's property.

Bauer brings us back to the 1920s, a time when men had few qualms about the things they deemed collectible and money afforded people privileges whilst the working classes barely survived.

Totally original story.

A book with a subject I knew nothing about and yet found it intriguing and easy to learn about
Maybe not the fastest moving read but then sometimes it doesn’t need to be
Without doubt an authors reputation re previous books read made me choose this and am glad did as would probably have been off my radar if chosen by blurb etc