Nicki reviewed this month:  The Pavilion in the Clouds by Alexander McCall Smith

The Pavilion in the Clouds by Alexander McCall Smith

Readers of Alexander McCall Smith’s previous novels will be familiar with his gentle writing style, often focussing on the simplicities of the past, encapsuling empathy, forgiveness and kindness.  But beware of the somewhat sugary façade.  Lurking beneath is all too often an aura of disquiet…

“The Pavilion in the Clouds” is set on a tea plantation in Ceylon during 1938 where Bella, an imaginative eight-year-old, lives with her British parents and governess. It is in this idyllic setting where strange events begin to unfold, leading to an undercurrent of tension between the inhabitants.  Uncertainty deepens and Bella’s mother begins to suspect her husband of having an affair with the governess.  But is this true?  Or is there something else happening altogether?  The mystery is not solved until many years later when Bella reconnects with the governess in Scotland.

Told with an amusing perception on how differently men and women think, this is yet another thought provoking comfort read from an exceptional storyteller.