Irma Lagrasse has taught piano to three generations of villagers, whilst slowly twisting the knife of vengeance; Nico knows a secret; and M. Lenoir has discovered a suppressed and dangerous passion.
Revolving around the Cafe Rose, opposite The House with the Lilac Shutters, this collection of contemporary short stories links a small town in France with a small town in England, traces the unexpected connections between the people of both places and explores the unpredictable influences that the past can have on the present.
Characters weave in and out of each other's stories, secrets are concealed and new connections are made.
With a keenly observant eye, Barnby illustrates the everyday tragedies, sorrows, hopes and joys of ordinary people in this vividly understated and unsentimental collection.
"The more I read, and the more descriptions I encountered, the more I was put in mind of one of my all time favourite texts - Dylan Thomas' 'Under Milk Wood'. There is a lyrical quality to the writing and descriptions make use of all the senses so that they are vivid and engaging..." - Linda Hill
