The Patchwork Girls

Elaine Everest

Oct 2021 · Pan Macmillan

About this ebook

Set in Kent during the turbulence of the Second World War, The Patchwork Girls by Elaine Everest is a moving story about the ties of friends and family.

1939. After the sudden and tragic loss of her husband, Helen is returning home to her mother’s house in Biggin Hill, Kent – the one place she vowed she’d never go back to again.

Alone and not knowing where to turn, Helen finds herself joining the local women’s sewing circle – despite being hopeless with a needle and thread. These resourceful women can not only make do and mend clothes, quilts and woolly hats, but their friendship mends something deeper in Helen too.

Lizzie is a natural leader, always ready to lend a helping hand or a listening ear. Effie has uprooted her life from London to keep her two little girls away from the bombing raids, and the sewing circle is a welcome distraction from her worries – about how to keep a roof over their heads and about her husband too, now serving in active duty overseas.

When the reason for Helen's husband's death comes to light, her world is turned upside down yet again. The investigating officer on the case, Richard, will leave no stone unturned, but it’s not long before his interest in Helen goes beyond the professional. As she pieces together old fabrics into a beautiful quilt, will Helen patch up the rifts in her own life?

A beautiful story of female friendship in hard times, The Patchwork Girls is perfect for readers of Margaret Dickinson and Elaine's Teashop Girls series.

Praise for Elaine Everest:

'Sweet as a Woolies pick ’n’ mix' – Milly Johnson, author of The Happiest Ever After

'Heartwarming . . . a must-read' – Woman's Own

'A lovely read' – Bella

'Charming' – S Magazine

Ratings and reviews

Another fabulous tale of domestic life in Britain during the second world war! With the tragic loss of her husband and her home off limits, Helen returns home to her mother’s house in Biggin Hill where she befriends Effie, the housekeeper, who left London to keep her young daughters safe when her husband went off to fight for his country. Lizzie is an expert craftswoman who meets Helen when she shows her quilts to the local sewing circle which Helen – much to her own amazement – joins. With an investigation ongoing into her husband’s death by Richard, an RAF Police Officer, she needs something to distract her. Can creating her own patchwork quilt help Helen smooth out her life? As always, Elaine Everest has created a lively and interesting read, introducing a subject I knew little about which added that little bit extra to this story. With a wonderfully crafted story and creatively drawn characters, this is an absolutely terrific story! It’s a fine change to read about life outwith the British cities during this time and I was fascinated by all the little details to which this author always gives her attention. There is such a lot going on and this is, as always, a beautifully spun tale which I wallowed in from beginning to end. There is no doubt in my mind that this is a five star read and deserves my recommendation.

About the author

Elaine Everest, author of bestselling novels The Woolworths Girls, The Butlins Girls, Christmas at Woolworths and The Teashop Girls, was born and brought up in North-West Kent, where many of her books are set. She has been a freelance writer for twenty-five years and has written widely for women’s magazines and national newspapers, both short stories and features. Her non-fiction books for dog owners have been very popular and led to her broadcasting on radio about our four-legged friends. Elaine has been heard discussing many topics on radio, from canine subjects to living with a husband under her feet when redundancy looms.